Two Sides Of The Same Coin
by roxygoth
Summary: Leatherhead has finally come to a realisation. He will die alone surely, unless he can find someone to spend the rest of his life with. Cue Donatello. And if Donatello doesn't WANT to spend the rest of his life with him? Well - he'd soon change his mind... As soon as he can outwit those pesky brothers of his... And let's face it, with his genius that shouldn't be difficult...
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! RoxyGoth here. This idea came to me in the dead of night last night, it's based of a fan-art comic that I can't remember the name off. **

**I have written TMNT fanfiction before, but this is a lot darker than what I usually write. The only other fanfic off mine which is even vaguely like this is called 'Shaken but not broken' which is one of the first fanfic's I ever wrote and as such is an embarrassment to me. Hopefully this one will be a lot better.**

**03 turtles. Leatherhead will be OOC. **

This was the day, I decided as I looked round my own part of the sewers. I have the chains, I have the bed, I have everything I could possibly need…

…Except the turtle.

I sighed and ran a hand over the top of my head. I would just have to be patient. After all, it would all be worth it…eventually, after a bit of panic. And a lot of 'searching'.

I sighed again and picked up the clipboard. No harm in reviewing it…

"Bed-" I muttered under his breath looking at said object. I tell you what I'd had a lot of fun getting THAT into the lair. Thankfully I had Donatello to help him who was an expert at getting objects which looked like they really shouldn't be able to fit into the sewer, into the sewer.

I remember Donatello saying. "This'll be a lot better than those old rags you've been sleeping on." As we struggled through the sewers with it.

I had smiled back and agreed pleasantly. "You have no idea…"

Cue Donatello explaining that he did and recounting the times he and his brothers [those bloody stupid brothers!] had slept on the floor until Splinter had managed to salvage them some matrasses. Well. Just one to begin with. Then he managed to get another one. Then another [which much to Donatello's frustration he and Mikey, as the youngest, had been forced to share] and then finally one more and the entire thing was sorted.

"…So I totally understand what you're going through." Don finished, with that cheery smile on his face.

"Thank you, my friend." I said, thinking how damn CUTE he looked with that smile.

That had been last week. I'd come to a realisation since then. And that realisation was simply that I'd be alone forever more. I am a mutant alligator after all. Partners don't come ready made.

I considered what to do. I couldn't stalk the rooftops for a human. Despite the obvious biological differences, I was much to terrified of what the humans could DO to me for that to ever be a feasible option.

So that severely limited my options. Then I had my brainwave. Donatello. Sweet, lovely, little Donatello. With his adorable smile and scarily good ninja moves. That guy is good, which is amazing because I said that to him once and his reply was, and I quote. "Ah, I'm not that good. Leo's much better."

AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

He's ALWAYS comparing himself to his brothers! I hate it! And having met said brothers I personally don't see it. I mean, yes, they might BE better than him at ninjutsu, I'd like to see any of them set u wifi in the lair. Not to mention manage to get clean [okay, clean-ish] water. And just be so…wonderful in general.

Yes. Donatello was the one. If nothing else he was the only one that could keep up with my level of brilliance. [And I AM brilliant, I know that. Again, thanks to Donatello. Sweet Donatello…]

So, to re-cap. Everything is in place. The checklist is complete and all I need now is my favourite turtle. I asked him over to ask for a second thought on a new science thing I'd been working on which was much to complicated to tell him over the phone. [He did sound mildly affronted when I said that, and I felt bad. I will apologise. And later, when he's in my embrace, he'll see that it'll all be worth it.]

A knock at the door. I grinned and snapped my glasses on my face.

Showtime.


	2. An outpouring of devotion

**Hey, I'm back. Thank you to Thegaltoyourpal for favouriting and following this story.**

**See chapter one for the disclaimer and let's crack on. **

"Hello, my friend." I said as I opened my 'door' to a smiling Donatello.

"Hello." He said, stepping inside. "You sounded really excited on the phone, I can't wait to see what you've been working on!"

I smiled wide as an image of him on the bed flashed into my mind, but I erased it quickly and said, as neutrally as I could. "Well…actually Donatello. That was a pretence. I haven't been working on anything new. But I do need to talk to you."

I could see the curiosity brimming over in those lovely brown eyes. I was so lost in them I didn't hear him asking me a question until he had repeated it about three times.

"…Sorry?"

He clicked his tongue and said, patiently. "I was asking what you wanted to talk to me about."

I sighed a deep sigh as it dawned on me that this WAS the ACTUAL moment and gestured him towards the bed. "…Please take a seat."

So he sat on the bed. I sat on my chair and I told him. I told him I was in love with him and gave him a list of everything I loved about him [not a literal list. A verbal one. An outpouring of devotion, basically.] Including his lovely eyes, his beak, his beautiful shell, his lovely physical form. [Thank you Splinter for all those ninjutsu lessons!]

As I was describing what I liked about him I could sense him getting tenser and more un-sure. My heart raced and I got what I believe the humans call 'butterflies in my stomach' and I decided to switch to non-physical things to compliment him on. So I started talking about his genius and his nice and kind personality. I could see a faint blush coming up through his cheeks which gave me encouragement and I carried on. I'm not going to lie I must have spent a full fifteen minutes telling him all this and when I finally finished he just sat there, staring into space.

Now despite what the humans seemed to think I am not without empathy and I could completely understand how such a big confession could take some time to process, so I sat there and waited patiently. Then I realised it might be seen as slightly intimidating to sit here and look at him so I got up and busied myself elsewhere.

It was a long time later when I felt a calm hand on my shoulder and Donatello's voice said, kindly. "Leatherhead…" I heard him take a breath in. "…I, I appreciate you telling me your feelings, I really do. But…I…don't feel them same way."

I couldn't help it. I took a sharp breath, my jaw tightened and my hands balled into fists.

Donatello kind of stroked my back [which felt really nice, for a turtle he has really smooth hands] and carried on explaining. "I would really like us to be friends. I like you for you, but I…just don't feel romantic attraction for you. I'm sorry, but that's how it is. Leatherhead?" He waited for me to say something, but I didn't reply.

"Leatherhead?" He said, again.

I nodded slowly. "I…thought that would be your answer. I hoped it wouldn't be, but it is." I sighed. "A shame really. I had thought this would be easy. Unfortunately it looks like it will now have to be difficult."

I could sense his confusion as he asked. "What do you m-?" But he never got any further because, with the ferocious speed that alligators and crocodiles are known for I spun round and with my left arm [left because I'm right handed and I wanted to throw him off] I smacked him across the head with such force it left him unconscious.

Guilt blossomed inside me. I hadn't wanted to hurt him, I really hadn't, but he left me no choice. The idiot…the sweet adorable idiot.

Hhhmm. Feel weird to say that about a genius, but still. He is.

Although let's face it it's hard to be as smart as I am. Though he is close. Very close.

Anyway. I had to move him. I couldn't leave him like that. On the floor cold and alone. So I moved him onto the bed, now obviously the thing with Donatello is that he is a fully-trained ninja, so I have to be very careful. When I was tying him up I removed his phone. He's told me a good couple of times that all the phones he's created for him and his brothers [given the VERY imaginative name of 'T-Phone' by Michelangelo] have trackers on them so I quickly darted out into the sewers and dumped it in a corner somewhere. Because his brothers will come looking for him eventually. And then the next part of my master scheme comes into play.

Until then I just have to wait for Sleeping Beauty to wake up.

I might be here a while.


	3. A Wondefully Wicked Idea

**Hi. I'm back, thank you to 'Datninjaturtle' and 'GlazierBlue' for following and favouriting this story, and to Glazier for reviewing it. GUEST01 – thank you for reviewing as well. **

**Hopefully you guys like this next chapter. I had fun writing it, I know that…**

**Anyway see chapter one for the disclaimer and let's crack on. **

It appears I mis-judged my own strength. It was two hours until Donatello woke up, during which time I alternated between checking I had everything and making sure he wasn't dead. Oh, and there was one more thing, what was it? Oh yes, anxiously looking at the door convinced his stupid brothers were going to come and knock on it any minute. Or worse his father. That rat gives me the creeps.

I hovered anxiously by the bedside looking at Donatello sleeping peacefully. I was re-assured by the rise and fall of his plastron and I put my hand on it gently and felt his steady heartbeat under my hand.

To a human his skin would be alarmingly cold, but to me it felt warm and perfect. I trailed a claw gently down his plastron, slavering slightly as a LOT of very unsuitable images flashed through my mind.

Feeling exited by this I stroked his plastron slightly harder and licked my lips. Almost without my knowledge my hands were going lower and lower until…

He moaned.

My hand stilled immediately as I processed what I just heard. Clearly I had done something right. I looked down and saw I was basically round about level with his thighs.

That explained that then.

I was SO tempted to move his legs apart and have a look, but I stopped myself. Patience Leatherhead, patience…

He moaned again, and seeing as I had moved my hand by then I could only come to one conclusion and it both thrilled and terrified me.

He was waking up.

He was waking up!

Panic! Arm the battlestations! I flailed around uselessly, trying to decide what to do.

He groaned and I made a split decision. I sat by the bed and waited. It took a few minutes but eventually he opened his eyes and looked round groggily. I smiled at him.

"How are you feeling?" I said, gently.

He groaned again and gingerly brought his hand up to the back of his head. "…Like Splinter hit me over the head with that bo-staff to many times." He said. I felt a spark of anger – honestly that family! But I kept my cool and said.

"What do you remember?"

"Um…not very much. I think we were…was I here?" I nodded. "Oh. Where we…doing science or something?"

I considered. "We were testing a hypothesis." I said. Well. It was technically true. It just turned out the hypothesis was wrong. Then an idea came to me. It was wonderful and wicked and so awful I nearly considered not doing it, then I looked at his bemused beautiful face and - to hell with it! Or 'shell' with it…

"…Actually. That's not quite true. I said I had feelings for you."

He looked at me blankly, but re-assured I took my time and basically re-capped everything I said three hours ago, but this time got a much more positive reaction.

"You really said that?" He asked. "You really like me?"

"Of course I do." I said. "You're my genius."

He gave a laugh which set fireworks of in my stomach and protested he wasn't all that smart really.

"But you are." I said earnestly. "And you're modest and lovely and just…perfect."

"I'm not!" He said, struggling to get up. Seeing this I leapt forward and helped him sit up.

"Steady…" I said, enjoying the smooth feeling of his shell beneath my hands. "You had quite a nasty fall…"

"I fell…?" He was still very disorientated. It was all I could do to NOT do a happy dance around the bed. This was working out better than I thought it ever would.

"Yes." I said, soothingly. "And you banged your head against my desk, so I popped you into bed." I was still stroking his shell and I rested one hand on his thigh. I was a deliberate test. I had to test my hypothesis…

It took a few more minutes of re-assurances and gentle soothing before he realised that my hand was close to the inside of his leg. He cleared his throat and said, aquadly. "Erm…Leatherhead? You're hand appears to be close to my...erm" he cleared his throat again and a blush flittered across his cheeks.

God he looked so cute! I smiled at him and said, pleasantly. "It appears it is."

There was a beat, then he said. "W-would you mind removing it?…please?"

I blinked. Then looked down at my hand and removed it sharply, saying as I did so. "Oh goodness…I'm so sorry…I assumed-oh. Never mind. I'm sorry-I, oh dear…" I put my head in my hands and started rocking back and forth in a distressed manner. And of course, being the kind and gently soul he is, Donatello was instantly concerned.

"What's the matter?" he asked, placing a hand on my back. "Leatherhead? What's wrong?"

"I'm a fool…" I muttered feverishly into my hands. "A complete fool…" Dear god I deserve an Oscar for this. "It's just…you see, I might have lied slightly just then when I said we were testing a hypothesis. The reality is I asked you that question last week. And you said you felt the same way and so we…started a relationship. And…this is rather delicate. We were engaging in a little bit of…you-know-what and THAT'S when you fell and bumped your head….so, yes." I shrugged. "That's it I'm afraid. So I thought…never mind. It was stupid to think you would want to…after just bumping your head and all – on never mind." I got up and wrung my hands anxiously.

"No!" He sat up a bit more and grabbed my arm. I looked at him sidewards. I could see he had his 'thinking' face on. No doubt trying to figure out how to proceed. I waited. No point rushing it, just bide my time. I just had to hope my theory worked.

"…Well." He said after a long while. "I suppose that…if I _said _we would-" he swallowed. "-Start a relationship, with you, then…we're in a relationship…"

I tell you what I nearly leapt up and punched the air there and then. It had worked! I felt like laughing hysterically, Donatello thought we were in a relationship. Now just to turn the heat up a little, get inside his mind…I can make him do anything I want to in the name of 'love'.

I'll have to keep the brothers in mind though. They haven't come anywhere near my door yet, so either they don't know he's missing [which wouldn't surprise me in the slightest] OR they're out combing the sewers for him which means they SHOULD - if they can muster a braincell between them – manage to find his phone. Afterall, I know I hid it but I didn't properly HIDE it if you follow me. And they after all 'trained ninja's' so you think they would be able to track it down…

Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself.

I have some more 'discoveries' to make…


	4. Laying the lines of Confusion

**Hey. I'm back, thank you to GlazierBlue and GUEST01 for reviewing the last chapter. Erm…I probably won't be able to update till Saturday now, as I have a couple of things coming up in RL. **

**Anyway, this is where things heat up. [After all I didn't want those chains to go to waste, now did I?] **

**I feel, as a responsible fan-fic writer, I need to give some warnings: Psychological Abuse and Sextual abuse being the main ones.**

**[BTW, I think I know where this is going, but if anyone has any ideas, please let me know either via a review [you can guest review if it makes you more comfortable] or a PM.] **

**Anyway, see chapter one for the disclaimer and let's go. **

I licked my lips and tried to keep the excitement out of my voice as I said. "Well, you must be dehydrated. I'll get you a glass of water."

"Thank you." He said and I got up and got said water. [One of the first things Donnie did for me in this place was get clean running water]

He was still very dis-orientated and not thinking straight at all, so when I left he didn't seem to properly register it and just stared at the ceiling. Which suited me perfectly as it meant he wasn't looking at me. So surreptitiously I added some salt to the water. [Yes I have salt. I have to get my own food and I saw a full salt packet that had been thrown out by someone and decided it would come in useful]

So I gave him the glass and he took a sip and promptly spat it back out again. "Ugh! Is this salt!?"

I blinked at him. "What? No. It's water."

He sighed. "Yes I know that, Leatherhead. But is it salt water?"

I looked confused. "…Shouldn't be. I got it out the tap. Here let me try…" I took the glass from him and took a sip. As it obviously DID have salt in it, it was rank, but I kept a straight face and swallowed it. "Taste alright to me. Here I'll get you another." I got up and – this time with him watching me – got water out the tap, didn't add anything to it, and handed it back to him. He sniffed it suspiciously then took a tiny sip before finishing the whole thing. I asked him if that one tasted salty and he said no, I could see the lines of confusion across his forehead and I fought the urge to smile.

"Donatello." I said. "I meant to ask you. I'm a little bit concerned your brothers haven't been round here yet. After all it was a good couple of hours ago you came over."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't worry about them. As far as they're concerned we're here doing 'nerd stuff' which, as they know from watching me work, could take hours. No, they probably won't get concerned until I miss training tomorrow."

"I see. And what times is training?"

"Er…" He screwed his eyes up and I could see him trying to concentrate, but – probably because of the hit on the head and potential mild concussion – he was unable to. "…I don't know. Sometime in the morning I think…Hold on. I can phone Leo-"

A splash of panic came over me and I all but shouted "No!"

He jumped and looked at me in fear.

I pinched the end of my snout and said. "…Sorry. Sorry. I don't know what came over me. But there's no point disturbing them is there? After all they'll be to busy…" It dawned on me that I didn't really know WHAT his brothers did when they weren't training or annoying him.

Donnie seemed to understand though. "Yeah, they'll be too busy doing stuff. I can leave it till tomorrow. I…had better phone Leo though. He'll only worry. Where's my phone?" He started trying to get up and, alarmed, I put a hand on his carapace and pushed him back down with:

"What are you doing!?"

He looked at me like I was crazy. "Trying to get my phone. Where is it?"

Lying in a dirty corner of the sewer waiting to be found by your useless brothers, I thought. Clearly thought I would have to do something about this little situation that I hadn't foreseen.

Fortunately though, I am a genius.

"It's in the other room [my lair is split into two parts]. Here, you're probably still a little concussed. Tell you what, I'LL phone Leo. It's the blue button right?" He nodded, and yawned adorably.

I had a wild urge to stick my tongue down in his throat, but masterly refused. So I nipped into the other room out of sight of Donatello and, looking around for something to use as a phone, picked up a wrench and explained into it that Donatello had hit his head [leaving out the bit about the 'you-know'] and now had mild-concussion and therefore would it be alright if he stayed with me, potentially for the next couple of days? I waited for a reply and nodded. Yes, thank you Leonardo, that would be fine.

I put the wrench down on the table and walked back into the other room with. "He says that's fine."

Donatello looked at me with suspicious eyes. "Really? Did, did he say anything about training?"

I thought quickly. "He said, as you have concussion and I'M the medical doctor it would be better for you to remain in my care."

Donatello frowned. "That doesn't sound like Leonardo."

I started to get annoyed. "Well, that's what he said, so drop it."

Donatello's frown got deeper and he said, with authority. "Leatherhead, I don't like being spoken to like that. It was a perfectly reasonable statement. Can you bring the phone in here please? I'll feel better if I spoke to him myself."

Panic, panic, panic!

"There's no need for that!"

"Well, I'm telling you I would feel better, so would please get the phone?"

I folded my arms. "As your doctor I'm TELLING you - no."

"And - as a perfectly sane turtle - I'm telling _you_ to GET ME the PHONE!"

I felt a surge of annoyance deep inside me and I stood up and advanced towards him.

He looked first of all surprised and then slightly worried as I came nearer and nearer the bed. "W-what are you-?"

I slapped a hand across his beak and glared into his eyes. "I can't believe you." I growled. "Here I am TRYING to look after you and you're giving me back-talk! I would have thought you'd be grateful!"

His eyes went wide and he brought his hands up to try and force mine down and – as he's very strong – he nearly manged it, but I pushed him down using my other hand and straddled him.

I could feel him starting to panic and with his other hand he tried to push my hand of his carapace. But I used all my strength to push him down and basically lie on top of him. "And where do you think you're going?" I said, enjoying myself.

He looked up at me with desperate eyes and wiggled underneath me which did nothing except turn me on quite frankly.

I grinned so widely I thought my face would split in two and moved in to kiss his neck, and oh god! His skin felt divine, I sucked the skin enjoying myself immensely.

I felt his hands on my chest, trying to push me away and clearly I had taken my hand of his mouth at some point because he was yelling at me to get of, stop touching him and leave him alone. He was also yelling for his brothers to help him which I found both annoying and cute at the same time.

However I couldn't have that, just on the off-chance the three stooges had actually worked out that he wasn't home yet and were worried. So I sat up and slapped him across the face.

The sudden impact meant he went silent straight away and I shushed at him. "You make one sound." I threatened. "And I swear to god I will kill you."

Tears shined in his eyes, which killed me to see - because in all the time I've known him Donatello has never cried or even seemed like he's crying for that matter – and he said. "W-why are you doing this? I thought you said we'd started a relationship? Aren't you meant to love me?"

"I do love you! But you're being very annoying and NOT doing what I'm telling you to, so I have to punish you."

His eyes went even wider and he started struggling more. "No! I'm…I'm sorry…it was a mistake I didn't know! I'll be good! I promise!"

Well, this was going better than expected. I pretended to consider then got off him. I heard him sigh with relief and looked back to see he looked very confused, probably wondering what they hell [or rather shell] had happened. I mean here he was a strong independent ninja and he was basically submitting to a threat. He must be so confused…

I licked my lips again as I thought of all the stuff I wanted to do with my lover that had all been a distant dream but now was NEARLY a reality.

"…So…you'll be good will you?" I said, with my back to him.

"…Yes." I heard him whisper.

I nodded, my heart practically singing with happiness. "Very well. Now…" I turned to face him and beamed at him. "…Let's try that again shall we?

He looked at me with raw fear and I felt a spark of remorse go through me. After all, I didn't WANT to hurt him. I wanted him to enjoy this as much as I would. After all that is the idea of a relationship, for both partners to be happy.

I sighed and sat down on the bed. He flinched and scooted away. I let him and smiled at him. "Donatello." I said, reaching a hand out towards him.

He shook his head and with sudden force pushed my arm away. I felt another lick of white-hot anger but ignored it. "Now Donatello." I said, in the tone I have heard human parents speak to their hideous offspring. "There is no point protesting. I KNOW you want this as much as I do. You SAID you agreed to be in a relationship with me. Well, this is what it means to be in one. We share our bodies. Engage in 'coitus' as Sheldon says.[Yes, I have a TV in here. Donnie thought of everything, the little wonderful genius!] Now, will you _stop _being a silly _child_ and co-operate with me?"

His bottom lip trembled and he let out a wail. "I don't want to! Really, I don't! I don't LIKE sex!"

Well. That was something I hadn't seen coming. "You've engaged in it before?"

"Well…no, but I – I just _know_, okay? I know! And- and if you – if you l-loved me you wouldn't m-make me!"

Damn it. He had me there. I buried my head in my hands and, after a little while, said. "…Okay. Okay! You're right…I won't make you. Not now anyway. You need more time to get used to the idea."

There was a beat and then Donatello started to say something about how he thinks he'll never get used to the idea, but I – hearing something in the distance – clapped my hand over his mouth again and shushed him. His eyes went wide again and he squeaked a little, but I managed to silence his with a firm grip on the inside of his thigh hard enough to bruise.

I could hear distant voices. Dammit! His brothers!

Donnie recognised there voices as well and I could see the fear in his beautiful chocolate eyes replaced with hope.

No, no, no! Everything was going wrong! I was so distracted I let my hand slip and Donatello – the idiot – let out a yell of:

"HEL-!"

Cue that burning feeling inside again as I grabbed his face squeezed his jaw together and hissed.

"WHAT did I SAY about dis-obeying me!?"

He was whimpering now, his hands has come up to fight me away so, with my spare hand I nipped down between his legs and stroked him in the vague area I thought his privates were. [I had an idea of how turtle biology worked, but I wasn't sure]

I must have got it right because his eyes went so wide they nearly bulged out his sockets and he made these high-pitched whining sounds.

I licked mu lips again and started stroking the bottom of his plastron while he wiggled and tried to dis-lodge my hand, which wasn't going to happen. The simple fact of the matter is – I am a adult alligator, he is a teenage mutant turtle. The fact he is also a ninja DOES give him an advantage, but in terms of brute strength I can over-power him.

I would have loved to continue but I could hear his stupid brothers getting dangerously close so with great reluctance I left him and drew back.

He – in a clear moment of madness – instantly tried to make a break for it. I lashed out catching him on his side and causing him to fall backwards on the bed, temporarily stunned.

Working in almost a feverish manner I grabbed the chains and attached one of them to his left arm. [Donatello is ambidextrous so it doesn't really matter which one I did first] I quickly attached the chain to his other arm just at the point he opened his eyes and looked up at me, hazily.

I moved to his right leg and quickly did that one to. I could hear the brothers nearly outside the door and – thinking he might cry out and ruin everything - I shot to my desk, grabbed a ball gag [Amazing what humans throw out] ran back, stuck my fingers in his nose so he would open his mouth, placed it in as gently as I could and then moved to his other leg.

By now he was starting to become more aware and tried to kick his remaining free leg but I grabbed it and tied it firmly down.

I licked my lips once again seeing him and patted his cheek gently while he looked at me in a mix of horror, panic and sadness.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." I promised. "And then we can get down to business." I smiled at him and patted the bottom of his plastron again. He made squeaking sounds but being unable to move, did nothing out.

A knock at the door.

I grabbed a lab-coat in order to sell the role I was about to give them.

Showtime.


	5. The Brothers Part 1

**Hey! I'm back. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed the last chapter: Glazier Blue, GUEST01, AndiKaneUnderwood, Thegaltoyourpal and Datninjaturtle.**

…**Now. As Glazier knows I have done some thinking about this story – don't worry, I'm not stopping it – but I decided I basically need to being the brothers POV into it at some point, cos, let's just say there's going to be some parts of this story that LH can't narrate and leave it there.**

**BECAUSE of that I'm thinking about changing the title of this story to 'two sides of the same coin' seeing at that's basically what it's going to be – but I'm not sure.**

**So I'm REALLY sorry cos I know I left it on a bit of a cliff-hanger last chapter, but I feel this needs to be done before the sptry can really move on.**

**So make the most of this bit of lightness at the moment. It won't last.**

**With that, see chapter 1 for the disclaimer and let's crack on. [BTW, the nest update should be either Monday or Tuesday] **

Picture the scene. There I was perfectly innocently watching the TV, trying my best to drown out Mikey's IRRITATING talking, when old Fearless himself comes into the lair and leans on the back of the couch.

So I say: "You're not watching your stupid 'Space Hero's' till this is OVER, Lame-o-nardo." And he shakes his head and asks me if I've heard from Donnie.

I pick my phone up, look at it – no messages – and tell him so. He clicks his tongue and goes:

"I see…" before trailing off and going really quiet. 'Great, some peace and quiet' I thought and turned my attention back to Easy G being slammed by NASTY. Though I still can't concentrate properly because I can hear Mikey asking Leo what's wrong.

'Who cares?' I thought, but had enough sense not to say. Gotta pick your battles and all.

"I don't know Mikey. I just have a feeling…" And he trailed off again.

At which point I felt my blood boiling because – come on! - it was clear I wouldn't be 'allowed' to watch the wrestling in peace until I'd helped put Leo's mind at ease -

And - just a quick note - I swear to whoever running this joint – Leo needs therapy A.S.A.P.

"For fuck's sake!" I snapped, turning the sound down. "What IS it, Fearless!?"

Leo gave me a glare and I glared right back. After about a ten-second showdown he said, in that calm ANNOYING manner of his.

"I think something's wrong with Donnie."

I shared a look with Mikey, who shrugged, but did look concerned. [Of course. Him and Donnie are practically glued at the shell]

Managing to keep a straight face I looked up at Leo and asked him WHY he thought that [Cos there's always a reason behind Leo's paranoia. More often than not a totally insane reason, but always a reason.]

Cue the following sentence that actually came out of Fearless's mouth for real. Quote. "I don't really know. I can just sense it – somethings wrong."

I resisted the urge to smack my head against the table and – while Mikey tried to convince Leo it was all in his head and that Donnie was, and would be, fine – grabbed my phone and phoned said genius.

Seeing this Mikey - the genius's assistant - asked. "What are you doing?"

I rolled my eyes. "Skipping through daisies. What does it look like I'm doing!? I'm phoning Don."

"I've already tried that." Fearless said, with thinly veiled patience. "That's why I came in here to ask either of you if _you'd_ heard anything."

Fearless continued wittering as I got more and more wound up cos all I was getting from Donnie's phone was zilch, zilch and more zilch.

"For SHELL'S SAKE!" I snapped, slamming the phone shut. "How difficult is it to pick up a bloody phone!?"

"Well, to be fair, dudes, this IS Donnie were talking about. Him and Leatherhead have a habit of tuning out the world when they're together." Mikey said.

Me and Leo gave him a joint look. Then I looked up at my [thankfully] only older brother.

You know how they say 'The eyes are the windows to the soul' I.E. you can see what people [or turtles in our case] are thinking through them? Pure worry in Leo's.

And as I – despite what Mikey seems to think – don't have a heart of complete stone, I growled and got up. "FINE! I tell you what, if YOU'RE so worried about Brain Boy, Lame-A-Nardo let's go down to Leatherhead's and check he's still alive. Though I don't think he'll thank you cause – as I believe me and Mikey have said – it's only been TWO HOURS!"

There was a beat, then Leo thanked me for co-operating so nicely with him [Sarcasm doesn't suit him] and we set off.

As we hurried down the sewers towards LH's place, I was convinced that this would all be a wind-up and that Don would be there, safe and sound, at Leatherhead's probably discovering the cure for cancer or something equally awesome, cos that's what they do, and Leonardo would end up with egg on his face - metaphorically of course, we can't afford to waste eggs – and all would be well.

I didn't know how wrong I was.


	6. The Charade Begins

**Okey, so I know I only updated about half an hour ago, but I decided I couldn't wait. Plus I wasn't sure about last chapter – so I thought I'd put this one up to 'lesson the damage' so to speak.**

**So - the last chapter focused on the brothers and what led up to them going to Leatherheads. This one switches back to LH at the exact moment he's about to open the door to them.**

**See chapter 1 for the disclaimer and let's crack on. **

I opened the door and sure enough there were his stupid brothers, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo. Raphael had his arms folded and it was clear he didn't really want to be here – which makes two of us.

Leonardo looked at me and smiled. "Hello Leatherhead." He said. "Sorry to disturb you, but is Donatello there?"

I frowned. "Donatello?" I said, making sure to sound a mix of cautious and slightly bemused. "Donatello left about half an hour ago."

Leonardo looked suitably alarmed and looked over at Raphael who looked back at him. I think they did that weird thing when they have a silent conversation and then Leonardo turned back to me and said: "Are you sure?"

I felt another spark of annoyance, but pushed it down and said, with just the right amount of fluster. "I-i think so…er…what, what time is it?"

"Half past six." Michelangelo said.

I nodded at him and said. "Yes, it was about half an hour ago. I'm not sure what time exactly…" I waved a hand. "Science, you know."

"We understand." Leonardo said.

'You definitely do NOT.' I thought. Only thought, didn't say. Instead I said, anxiously. "So…am I to take it that Donatello has not returned home?"

They all shook their heads and Leonardo muttered. "…Strange."

Michelangelo fished his phone out the pocket of his belt. "I'll try him again."

I felt my eye twitch but managed to control it. Kids and these bloody phones! It really annoys me. The humans who 'looked after' me when I was first mutated were forever on their phones. Annoying twats.

So Michelangelo tried to phone Donatello and - would you believe it? – he didn't pick up. Strange that.

Leonardo, with the leadership qualities he's famous for, instantly took control. "We need to check the sewers." He told his brothers. "If myself and Mikey take the South and East tunnels and Raph and Leatherhead will take the North and West tunnels – if –" he turned to me. "If that's alright with you?"

I nearly danced a jig. This was going EXACTLY the way I planned! I must be a very good judge of character for it to have gone THIS well!

And to think. The humans said I was stupid.

Hah!

"Of course it is." I said. "Just…allow me to wrap up something first. I'm in the middle of a _particularly tricky_ experiment."

They all nodded, Raphael told me to hurry up and I left them standing outside my door. I mean, I'm not an idiot, I shut the door. The thing about my wonderful lab is that although I can hear people outside, it's hard for them to hear inside, unless you really make an effort to be heard. So, for example, you'd be able to hear me if I was chain sawing something, but not if I'm just talking, like I was now, to Donatello.

"Your brothers are here." I told him.

He looked up at miserably and struggled in the chains.

"Ah-ah." I reached out and patted his cheek. He jerked his head away and I frowned and tightened my grip round his jaw. "_Behave_ Donatello." I said, sternly. "Or else I might not go easy on you later on. Now." I leaned over him, so all he could see was me, grinned at him and kissed him on the forehead. "I'll see you later." I said kindly. "Then we can…get down to it." I patted the inside of his thigh again and I thought he was going to cry, but he didn't. Which was good, it means he's strong.

And you know what they say about the ones that are strong…so much funner to break.

So after re-assuring young Doantello I went back to his brothers, stopping just outside the door in order to compose myself. I couldn't go skipping out after all. That would look weird.

I opened the door and looked at them solemnly. "I apologise about that, my friends. Shall we go?"


	7. The Charade Continues

**Hey! I'm back. Thank you to Glazierblue and Datninjaturtle for reviewing the last chapter. Hope you're all having a good December so far. Hope you enjoy. **

**See chapter 1 for the disclaimer and let's go. **

So myself and Raphael set off for the West tunnel, which was the closest. I couldn't remember exactly _which _tunnel I had left Donatello's phone in, but I was certain I'd recognise the spot and we had a 50/50 chance of finding it, so.

"When I find that bastard I'm gonna kill him!" Raphael muttered, as we hurried towards West tunnel.

I must admit I was slightly alarmed – out of all the brothers Raphael is physically the strongest and thus the most danger to me personally – but I kept a straight face as I echoed his sentiments.

"I mean, god knows what he's going through!" Raphael said, and it was really strange, because they're worried words but he said them in such angry way it was startling.

"What's the worse fear?" I asked, mainly out of genuine curiosity.

Raphael didn't miss a beat. "Being dissected." He said, grimly.

I stopped dead. "What? People would actually DO that?"

He looked at me like I was stupid - which made my blood boil, but I kept a lid on it – and said. "Of course. People are sick. The Shredder especially is always threatening to kill us in new and painful ways – I swear to god!" He suddenly erupted. "If he's done ANYTHING to harm Donnie I will kill him – personally kill him!"

There wasn't really anything I could say to that, so I just stared at him. It crossed my mind for the first time that I _might_ have made a mistake in underestimating the power of 'brotherly love' here. But then I quickly shook myself out of it. I am a genius. Raphael may have a lot of muscle but he certainly doesn't have any brains. Donatello once told me he struggled to grasp the concept of a simple blood test, and let's face it if he can't do that there really is no hope for him.

Anyway, we searched that tunnel from end to end and [surprise, surprise] no sign of either Donnie or his phone.

"What do we do now?" I asked Raphael.

He gritted his teeth and said, through them. "We search the other one."

So we searched the other one – and once again found nothing. By this time Raphael was getting really wound up and was practically frothing at the mouth. "I'll kill 'em." He kept muttering, which was occasionally punctuated by a rather elegant. "For fucks sake! Donnie, pick up yer freakin' phone before I kill ya!"

Well. I thought. He'd find that difficult, considering at the moment he doesn't have access to either his phone or his hands. Actually that was a point. How was I going to get him to…never mind. I'd figure something out.

After all I am a genius.

"LEATHERHEAD!" I was broken out of my musings by Raphael yelling at me.

"…Hhhmm?" I said vacantly, and then pulled myself together when I saw his eyes narrow. "Apologies my friend I…er…zoned out."

He looked at me in disbelief. "Oh that's fine." He said, with a great deal more sarcasm than I really thought was necessary. "Donatello's missing, possibly being experimented on and tortured – but you think about your latest gizmo - that's fine!"

I glared at him and was about to give him a suitably cutting remark when his phone rang and he looked at it. "It's Leo." He said before answering it with: "You found anything?"

I waited patiently while they talked. Basically Leonardo and Michelangelo – by an absolute miracle – had manged to find Donatello's phone and were ringing to inform Raphael of the fact.

"Yeah, yeah, any sign of _him_?" Raphael said, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Probably not. I thought, cheerfully. Considering he's tied up at my place. Then I had a thought that knocked me for six and checked my watch. Donatello had been left alone for one hour and twenty-five minutes. One hour and twenty five minutes! How could I be so…stupid! Donatello could have broken out! Oh – what an idiot!

"No sign of Donnie." Raphael said, hanging up. "Leo thinks he was kidnapped on the way back from yours." He paused and said, thoughtfully. "It's strange we can't find any trace of him though. I mean, Donnie's a fully-trained ninja. No one should be able to kidnap him without him fighting back-"

'Unless they're extremely strong and extremely clever.' I thought. Obviously I didn't say this, instead – a lightbulb came on and I said.

"What about your Shredder?" I asked. "I mean, he's also a fully-trained ninja. He's older, he's more experienced and he's got to be strong as well, hasn't he? I mean, doesn't he wield a sword or something?"

Raphael corrected me on the name of the thing the shredder wields. Apparently there are different _types_ of swords nowadays? Whatever. The point is I – through my amazing persuasive skills – managed to convince Raphael to go after the Shredder. And if I've convinced Raphael, then he'll persuade his brothers and then they're all be out my scales for a little bit. I mean, who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky and the Shredder will kill them. Then me and Donatello will be alone for ever and ever and ever.

Ooh. I'm getting a thrill in my lower regions just thinking about it.

Although all this is dependent on the fact he hasn't escaped, of course.

I hope he hasn't. It'll be a pain finding him again.


	8. The Charade Ends

**Hey! I'm back. First of all, thank you to Glazier Blue, Datninjaturtle + GUEST01 for reviewing the last chapter, it means a lot.**

**SO. When I first started writing this story, Glazier gave me one very important piece of advice, which was, in a nutshell, 'Go for it'.**

**I started writing this story because I'd read similar ones [although never with Leatherhead, oddly enough. Nearly always with either The Shredder or an Original Character. Weird, huh. You'd have thought more writers would have seen the potential...] Also as a writer I wanted to see how far I could push myself and ****I think I've discovered at writing psychological abuse rather than Sextual abuse. And that is a sentence I never thought I would type. Ever. **

**Anyway, see chapter 1 for disclaimer and let's crack on. **

I hurried back to my lab as fast as I possibly could because it suddenly dawned on me that the hypothesis that Donatello may have escaped might have more water to it when you consider that SURELY as part of their 'ninja training' Splinter will have taught them to break out of things like ropes and chains? I mean, surely?

So I was in…a bit of a state of panic, to say the least when I got to the lab and shut the door. I considered running straight into the other room, but I forced myself to remain calm and breathe deeply.

'You're being silly, Leatherhead.' I told myself. 'Donatello Will NOT have escaped – he can't have, you checked those chains yourself, remember?'

After giving myself a bit more of a talking to I gathered the strength to go into the other room. The key was to act nonchalant.

"I'm back!" I said, cheerfully and let out a sigh of relief.

Donatello was still there, still chained up and glaring at me like I was the worse person on earth. Which can't be true. After all I am a very nice 'gator, really.

I clicked my tongue and said. "Really Donatello, a bit more of a welcome would be nice. Now, have you been being good?" I walked over to him and he once again tried to scoot away, except he couldn't because you know HE'S IN CHAINS! I knelt down and examined his wrists. The skin on his wrist was a darker green than usual and I could see that in a couple of hours it would be bruised. I clicked my tongue again and ran a finger gently over his skin.

Donatello hissed and flinched. I made soothing noises and stroked his arm. "Now, now, don't worry. They'll fade with time. Now…" I smiled and squeezed his arm. "I want you to relax. Just enjoy it."

Donatello whimpered and started trying to break free again. I rolled my eyes and let him carry on for a few minutes, hoping he would settle down. When he didn't, I squeezed his arm very hard, digging my claws in and hissed. "Stay still or ELSE." That got the message across and he [with a bit of effort] stilled.

I smiled at him. "Good boy." I stroked his jawline a few times. Such a beautiful jawline, so strong, so masterful…and those eyes! Gorgeous! They'd be even better if they weren't filled with so much…hatred, but I suppose that's to be expected considering the circumstances. It'll fade with time though, I know it. "You don't even have to worry about your brothers breaking in and disturbing us." I told him, with quite a bit of satisfaction. "I made them think the Shredder had taken you."

His eyes went wide and he tried to say something, which I like to think was 'Wow, Leatherhead, you're a genius' but unfortunately I think it was more like 'Are you crazy!?'.

I sighed, pleasantly and said, wistfully. "Yes, just think, they'll be on there way now, thinking they'll get you back and…they won't. I mean, who knows?" I added, enjoying myself. "Maybe this Shredder guy will even kill them? That'd be nice wouldn't it? The you and me can spend forever and ever together…"

Whilst I was talking, almost without my knowledge my hand had slipped down to the inside of his thigh again and was caressing it softly. He shut his eyes and screwed his face up, clearly doing that thing when you don't focus on what's happening. That wasn't _really _my plan, the idea being he would enjoy it and enter into it willingly but seeing as he wasn't trying to get away I took it as a bit of a win and – keeping one hand on the inside of his thigh – walked down to the bottom of the table and looked at him.

I've read a few books about turtle anatomy, but I've never seen anything up close. For example, did you know that turtles just have one entrance that does everything? Amazing. I licked my lips and ran a finger down the middle of his plastron to in-between his legs. As I didn't really know what I was looking for I was going off the sounds he made in response to see if I was right and sure enough midway between his thighs he squeaked and his breathing became more laboured.

Bingo!

I stroked the area as gently as I could, which was not easy considering I AM capable of snapping a solid metal bar as easily as if it was a twig, you know?

Donatello's breathing was getting more even now and I think he was successfully tuning me out. I frowned and pinched the inside of his thigh extremely hard.

He yelled and the chains rattled as his limbs spasmed. I was a little concerned about his super-sensitivity to pinches, but then I actually applied some genius and realised that seeing Donatello had been tied up for about the last…three and a half hours now? He was probably getting more hyper-aware of his surroundings.

I smiled. I could have some fun with this. I, with one extended claw, gently ran my claw down the inside of his thigh and felt a thrill go threw me as Donatello whimpered again and twitched in his chains. "Does that feel good?" I asked, pleasantly.

Donatello didn't reply and I, feeling that hot-red anger inside me again, dug my claws into the top of his thigh and dragged them down to his kneecap while he…well. I think he was screaming but you know, the whole 'ball-gag' thing meant I couldn't be sure.

"For goodness sake! I must have told you a thousand times - be QUIET, Donatello!" I snapped.

He didn't listen, seemingly trying to get his breathing under control. I rolled my eyes and snapped. "Call yourself a ninja!? I'm sure two-year olds could act with more dignity than you! Donatello?" I softened upon realising he was still shaking quite violently and – putting my 'doctors' hat on – examined the marks I had just made.

So turns out I MIGHT have put just a BIT more force behind those claw-marks than I originally thought. They were bleeding. Quite badly.

I will admit, I had a moment when I nearly thought 'sod-it' and just continued destroying him slowly, but my ultimate concern for him won out and, with a sigh, I got up and went to my medical box, which Donatello himself had helped me to scrounge, and took out some anti-bacterial ointment and some needles and thread and walked back over to him.

He looked at me with a considerable amount of fear, but I took it all in my stride and positioned myself at the bottom of the bed again.

He made strange noises again and started to fidget. I placed what was MEANT to be a soothing hand on his knee - though he clearly didn't think so – and said, gently. "Now, Donatello, my friend –" Cue some more screeching from said friend, which I didn't really think was necessary but masterfully ignored. "- The cuts I've just inadvertently made are bleeding quite badly. I am going to clean them out and stitch them back up for you. Isn't that nice of me?" I waited for a reply and, after realising I wasn't going to get one, squeezed his knee-cap hard and he gave a scream behind the gag. "I said 'Isn't that nice of me!?'" He nodded franticly and I released the pressure. "Now. Let's begin…"

It took a long while. Almost an hour to sew the four claw marks back up, during which time he did actually go still and even seemed to fall asleep. I was a little annoyed about that at first, but considering he must be exhausted and I wouldn't be able to actually have sex with him for a few days anyway until the wounds had started to heal at least I supposed there wasn't any harm in it.

After I finished I stood up, took a deep breath, looked down at him and said. "You better be appreciative of this, Donatello."

Of course he didn't reply.

Ungrateful child.


	9. The Brothers Part 2

**Thank you to Glazier Blue, GUEST01, Datninjaturtle + Andikaneunderwood for reviewing the last chapter.**

**I thought a lot about how this story will go and, after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing I've basically thought 'what would the brothers actually do in this situation' and gone from there. So hope you like it.**

**See chapter 1 for a disclaimer and let's go. **

I was about ready to kill someone when I got back to the lair, clenching and unclenching my fists like no one's business. Just the _thought_ of Donnie going through god knows what really got to me. I mean, I'm the older brother! I'm meant to _protect_ them and Donnie…is Donnie. He's brilliant but stupid at the same time. Brilliant because…well. He's a genius and without him we'd all be dead, but an idiot because – well. Who else do you know who goes 'Oh, my arm is bleeding quite badly and there's a good chance I might pass out – but are _you_ okay?'

'What about your arm, Donatello?'

'Oh that can wait-'

'It can't wait, I can see _bone_!'

Yeah, that's Donatello for you. Anyway, I got back home, and the first thing Leo says is: 'Any news?'

I looked at him and went: "No, none. You?"

He held up Donnie's phone. "Found it in the South tunnel, in a corner with some…" He scrunched his beak up. "…stuff on it, let's just say. Looks like someone had tried to hide it, which - as Mikey pointed out - seems strange."

"Why?" I asked turning to Mikey who was hovering nervously by the doorway. "He's obviously been kidnapped – probably by the Shredder – and they don't want us tracking him so they left his phone. What's strange about that?"

"Well." Mikey said, holding a finger up. "One – the Shredder has actually kidnapped us before and he's always either taken the phone with him OR destroyed it completely. Also The Shredder always leaves some kind of calling card, doesn't he? Secondly, we didn't find any blood near the phone, which you would think if someone had kidnapped him Donnie would have fought back and there would be some blood – preferably from them not him. So either he was kidnapped elsewhere and the phone hidden there to throw us off – which probably means it was pre-meditated – OR someone wants us to think he's been kidnapped when he actually hasn't-"

I held my hands up. "First up – since when did you become Sherlock Homes? Secondly – shit you've got me doing it now! _Secondly_ – the only person who could make it look like a kidnapping when It wasn't is Donnie, surely? Logic and all that? Which begs the question why, when he was perfectly fine this morning-"

Then a familiar voice broke in. "-As much as I love all this theorising my sons, might I suggest you cut all this nonsense out and just check the cameras?"

Good point, Sensei. Good point. So we all looked at each other and trotted to Donnie's lab to check the camera's which Donnie has put ALL OVER the sewers.

Leo sits down and looks at the screen with his normal level of confidence when approaching ANYTHING technological – so none basically – and went. "So…how do we switch this thing on?"

"It is on." I said.

He looked at me and said. "How do you know?"

Now. I know I'm no Steve Jobs, but EVEN I know that when the green light is on, it's a pretty good indication that something is _working_.

So I said that – but in shorter terms - and pushed him aside to check the freakin' camera's myself. So we got the screens working, then we had to figure out how to rewind the thing – and finally after about a…solid hour, maybe? We saw a figure in one of them and paused it.

"Oh, it's Leatherhead." I said, and carried on re-winding. But we couldn't see anything else.

So we theorised a bit – invisibility cloaks were mentioned [no guesses by who] – secret tunnel were mentioned. An Alien Abduction was seriously considered at one point until Mikey clicks his fingers and goes. "Wait!" And zoomed through the images until we saw Leatherhead again. "Leatherhead." Mikey said, pointing at the screen.

Me and Leo looked at each other.

Mikey frowned and tapped the screen again. "When we asked him if he'd seen Donnie he said no, right? Why didn't he mention that he was out in the sewers? And look _where_ he is-"

"…South Tunnel." Leo said, in amazement. "But…what? That doesn't make sense. Back up further, what time did Donnie leave?"

I shrugged. "About…four hours ago, maybe?"

"Right, let's go from there then. Probably should have started there in the first place…"

So we watched it. And we saw Donnie walking down the sewers, he stopped a few times to check the cameras – which was slightly alarming from our perspective – then he went into Leatherhead's place –

And he didn't come out. At all.

Leatherhead did. He came out, as we saw, about…half-an-hour to forty-five minutes later? And _hid Donnie's phone. _

What the shell is going on!?

Leo rubbed his ear and shot me a glare – turns out I said the above out loud and very loudly and said. "I don't know, Raph. It doesn't make sense."

Then something else clicked and I tapped the image of LH on the screen. "He was trying to tell me that Shredder has him – Donnie I mean. He was suggesting we go off and fight him."

Mikey muttered something under his breath and me and Leo looked at him. He saw us and held a hand up. "Never mind. So. We think LH has Donnie. What the shell are we going to do?"

Leo linked his fingers together and said, slowly. "I have a plan…but I'll need you guys to do _exactly what I tell you_."


	10. The Lightbulb Idea

**Hey! I'm back. Sorry for the delay. Thank you to Glazier Blue, Datninjaturtle, GUEST01 + Andikaneunderwood for reviewing the last chapter. It still means a lot. **

**A quick note in response to a question that Andikaneunderwood asked during their last review. When I thought this up I was – and am – visualising 03 turtles and 03 Leatherhead. [In looks, obviously not personality] However if you want to visualise this with 12 turtles then go ahead. Visualise it with 18 or 87 turtles if you want. It's totally up to you. **

**Anyway, see chapter one for disclaimer and let's crack on. **

So turns out keeping my hands of Donatello is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I tried I really did. I focused on my experiments, I started writing this thing, I watched some TV, but I couldn't concentrate. Just…imagining him. Responding to me. Loving me. I could hear his voice in my mind going 'Oh, Leatherhead!' and groaned out loud.

I got up and headed over to him. He was still asleep. For crying out loud, how much can one turtle sleep!? It was clearly time for him to wake up.

I shook him gently and repeated his name gently. He groaned and twitched adorably. I smiled and shook him again. "Donatello." I said, softly. "Wake up…"

He blinked in a manner resembling a baby fawn and opened those chocolate brown eyes up.

I think he was a bit dis-orientated. He looked at me completely blankly, like he didn't know who I was, then winced and started trying to move around a bit, but quickly realised he couldn't. He also realised he couldn't talk and started making mumbling sounds behind the gag that quickly got louder and higher pitched.

I rolled my eyes and patted his plastron. He tried to suck it in, but I just pushed my hand in further – mainly to prove a point that he was MINE and I can do whatever the 'shell' I want with him.

He started moving around more, trying to dislodge my hand but that didn't work for obvious reasons. I felt myself frowning – he clearly wasn't quite getting that I am in charge, not him. I tell him what to do, when to do it and he WILL be grateful to me or suffer the consequence.

"Donatello, stay still." I said, firmly.

He glared at me and struggled more.

Well. I couldn't allow this to carry on.

"I am giving you a final warning to STOP moving and allow me to enjoy you or else I will punish you so severely it will make Splinters punishments look like a walk in the park. Do you _understand_ me?"

He glared at me again, but did stop struggling.

I smiled at him. "Now that's better. Now…I suppose I better give you some more water…"

So I went over to the tap again and filled it up. I made sure he wasn't looking and added salt to it again.

"Here you go." I said, holding the water over him.

He looked at me as if I was stupid and I laughed before putting the water down and taking the gag out his mouth. His mouth fell open and he seemed to be having trouble closing it. Probably something to do with having the gag in his mouth for so long.

"Does your mouth hurt?" I asked him.

He nodded slowly and I smiled at him.

"Good." I said, pleasantly. "Now. Drink this water. Oh, wait. You're chained up."

I debated what to do for a few seconds. I didn't want to unchain him in case he hit back, but I also didn't want to just pour the water down his throat because then it's very likely he'll choke and then he really WILL hate me.

So after a bit of thought I untied one of his arms and an lightbulb went on as to how I could confuse him further. "Now." I said to him. "You can drink the water if you can pick it up yourself." I held my hand out, the cup balanced in my palm.

He looked at the cup and tried to lift his hand. Except the SMALL thing is: his arms had been tied up for about…four hours now? Maybe just over. His arms would be fairly, if not completely numb. Or more specifically, as the chains are shackled at the wrists his hands would be especially numb and painful.

So, what I'm trying to say, to dumb it down a bit, is that his hands would be so numb it would be very hard for him to pick up the glass, or even moved his arm at all. At least – that was my theory.

I don't know what stuff Splinter actually _teaches_ them but I think Donatello deserves a lot of credit. He not only managed to _move_ his arm he could lift it and moved his arm to the glass. Except that due to the afore-mentioned numbness he couldn't move his fingers. So he kinda…lined his arm up with he glass and..

He knocked the glass onto the floor. The water spilled all over the floor, the glass shattered and I _erupted._

"HOW DARE YOU!? I – out of the _goodness _of my _heart _get you a glass of water and you re-pay me by knocking it all over the floor!?"

He looked terrified. "I'm sorry!" He said. Well. Croaked would be a more accurate description. "I didn't meant to-!"

"Well you did. And that means you will have to punished." I got up and looked around for something suitable while he babbled in the background.

Well. That was well thought-out wasn't it? I'd have to find _something,_ I couldn't say 'I'm gonna punish you' and then _not_ punish him. I'd lose all authority…

Then I saw it. His bo-staff. I'd rested it against the wall when I knocked him un-conscious seeing as I didn't need it.

I picked it up and felt what I know the humans call 'butterflies' in my stomach as a wonderful idea flittered through my mind. I turned to Donatello and walked towards him cooly.

He looked at me and I saw his eyes widen as he saw what I was holding. "…My bo –" He said, hoarsely.

I shot him a friendly grin, held the bo up and snapped it in half.

The reaction was immediate. A sharp intake of breath, his mouth set in a tight line and his eyes went what I can only describe as 'glazed over'

I threw the staff to one side, waited a few seconds in order to make sure that what I had just done sank in, then said. "So, the next time I'm nice enough to offer you something you won't do that again, will you? Let's try it again…"

So I got another glass of water, added salt to it and held it in my palm again. He actually managed to pick the water up this time – I think his arm had regained a bit of feeling which would have made it easier. He managed – with extreme difficulty – to lift the water to his lips and drink it.

He spat it everywhere and let the glass drop again, this time though it fell onto the bed not the floor. "It's salty!" He said, spitting a bit.

I looked at him like he was crazy. "What do you mean? I got it out the tap. It should be normal water, you set it up with normal water didn't you?"

He nodded, clearly confused and I resisted the urge to laugh.

"Well then." I said. "It shouldn't be salty. Here, let's try it again."

He scrunched his beak up and started to speak. "I don't want-"

"-I'm sorry?" I said, politely, fixing him with a smile. "What was that?"

He stopped, and I could practically see the cogs turning in his brain. "-I mean...thank you."

"Thank you _what_?"

"…Thank you…sir?"

Well! Talk about progress! I mean, I'll be honest, it wasn't what I was expecting, but boy will I _take it_!

"Yes. Exactly. Thank you _sir. _That is exactly what I want you to call me from now on and if you fail to do that then…" I thought quickly. "I will punish you in whatever way I feel fit. I mean, don't mis-understand me." I added, realising how this might be sounding. "If you please me I will reward you as well. By allowing you to drink, to eat to allow you…certain privileges." I have no idea what those privileges will be, but I'll come up with _something_.

I am a genius after all.


	11. The Brothers Part 3

**Hey! I'm back, I wanted to get at least one more update before Christmas so here we are. I would say I hope you all enjoy but that seems a but weird considering that: WARNING – it has fighting, blood and descriptions of violence in it.**

**Quick note – this chapter went through about three re-writes before I got a version, I was happy with. **

**Another thing, I know I mainly just thank everyone for reviewing, favouriting and following but today I just want to reply to a couple of reviews. And mention that Donnie could be considered OOC as well as LH. So…**

**Datninjaturtle – Thank you for reviewing. It means a lot.**

**GUEST01 – I know Donnie is totally out of it, it might make more sense if you remember he's been hit over the head twice [once when LH knocked him unconscious to begin with and again when he knocked him onto the bed]**

**Glazier Blue – All will be revealed soon. **

**Silver Sentinal – First off – thanks for reviewing this story! Secondly thanks for mentioning the potential outcomes off being wacked in the head. I'm not sure how close I'm gonna stick to actual medical stuff due to the fact that A} I don't know much about it and B} they're turtles. The skin is probably thicker than humans.**

**Anyway, thanks everyone. Let's crack on. **

'This is bloody stupid.' I thought, as I paced back and forth on the top of a nearby building. 'If it were up to me, I'd just break the door down and be done with it.' But NO old Fearless, Mr Leonardo Da Brainiac, comes up with a 'better' plan that he's just 'certain is gonna work.'

I suppose I better start at the beginning. Basically Leo's genius idea is that we lure Leatherhead into the open by tricking him. So – after making sure we all understood exactly what we were doing he sent me up to the top of a nearby building – probably due to not trusting me to just punch Leatherhead in the face as soon as he opens his bloody door [I've always said Leonardo has excellent judgement] as he and Mikey went off to do a couple of laps round the sewers before heading to Leatherhead's.

I'm now gonna switch to Leo and Mikey's POV because if I try and explain it, it'll just sound freakin' weird. So…

"I'm not sure I'm going to able to control myself." Mikey admitted as they ran down the sewers towards Leatherhead's place.

"At least _try_, Michelangelo." Leo said.

"But he -!"

" – I _know_." Leonardo said, as they came to LH's place. "I know. Now…put your over-acting ability to good use…"

So they pounded on the door and Leatherhead opened the door. At least, going from what Leo told me, he had the grace to look ever-so-slightly alarmed. "Is there any news?" He asked.

Well! There's playing it cool and then there's _playing it cool_! I think even Leo, who has stupidly good gut feelings, had a moment of 'Maybe we made a mistake?' because Leatherhead sounded so _sincere_. Geez, if it weren't for that CCTV…

Mikey, seeing that Leo's brain was temporarily broken, decided to take over.

"We've…we've found Donnie." He panted, supporting himself on the sewers wall. "On…on one of the – the - roof-tops. He – he's injured. Badly. We need help…and…and you're – you're a, a doctor, so…?"

Now, if you're anything like me I know what you're thinking. _If_ Leatherhead is such a genius [and he admittedly is.] then _why _would he fall for this? Especially seeing as, if we're right [and there's a part of me that hopes we aren't despite the camera's] he's got Donnie behind his doors and therefore will _know_ that we're having him on. He'll slam the door in our faces and we'll have to go with my _preferred _plan of simply smashing the freakin' door down.

_However, _this is where the genius comes in. Leatherhead's in a bit of a tricky situation you see. Because he should be smart enough to realise that he can't call our bluff I.E. says 'There's no way what you're saying is right' cos how can he without going 'you're wrong and I know that cos I have Donnie somewhere in the depths of my lair.' You see the idea? He HAS to come with us in order to carry on pulling one over on us.

And that's exactly what happened. LH went with Leo and Mikey and they led him to the roof-top where I was waiting for 'em.

Leatherhead looked around and said, and I quote. "So, where's Donatello then?"

There was a beat.

"Oh come off it, Leatherhead!" I snapped at the same time Mikey went "Are you kidding me!?" and Leo muttered something that sounded suspiciously like. "For fucks sake!" Which caught me off guard a little as Leonardo Da Angel makes it a policy of his to never swear – except for 'shell' of course.

Anyway, back to LH who narrowed his eyes and said, guardedly. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Cut the crap!" I snarled. "You know _exactly _where Donnie is, he's in your freakin' prison-cell!"

"And whatever makes you think that?" Leather-creep asked. "As I recall the last time we conversed, Raphael, you agreed with me that it was the Shredder."

"Yes." Leo said, stepping forward. "And that was your mistake wasn't it, Leatherhead? Because you clearly don't know the Shredders MO. He would never hide the phone. He would either destroy it or take it with him. You should have either kept it or destroyed it. That was your first mistake."

Leatherhead eyes went hard and he said, stiffly. "MO's can change, can't they? And even if it isn't the Shredder that was only an educated guess of mine. It might be another one of your enemies, I mean, let's face it you're hardly short of them."

"He's got us there." I said to Mikey, who nodded.

"He has, except of course there's one small thing, do you want to tell him or shall I, Raphael?"

I pretended to consider while Leatherhead looked at me with growing irritation. In the background I could see Leonardo surreptitiously checking his phone. He looked up at me and nodded slightly.

I looked Leatherhead straight in the eyes and said, slowly. "The CCTV, Leatherhead. The camera's, remember? Oh, wait you obviously don't. Because if you _did_ there's no way that you would frolic down our sewers with Don's phone in your hand –"

I didn't get any further because Leatherhead – it suddenly dawning on him that he'd been found out – let out a roar and lunged himself at me.

Thankfully I've had a lot of practice dealing with guys bigger than I am and dodged him easily before sweeping my foot under him and sending him falling on the floor.

I raised my sai and went for LH's throat, but he flipped over and sprung up before launching himself at me again.

I dodged again and Leatherhead whipped round, flicking his tail dangerously as he did so and gave a hysterical laugh. "Oh genius! You three are absolute genius's! It took you long enough didn't it!? Call yourself ninja's!? Call yourselves _brothers_!? I _stood_ there with him about _three_ _foot _away and you lot _didn't notice_ – and you pride yourselves on your so-called _observational skills_!" Another burst of hysterical laughter much resembling Ed from Lion King.

After this strange outburst Mikey was the first to speak. "He is alive then?" He said, uncharacteristically timidly.

A smile started creeping across Leatherhead's snout and he said, smugly. "Oh he's alive alright." We all breathed a sigh of relief and LH carried on. "Of course, we've had a good few hours to really get to _know _each other…_discover_ more about each other…how we _work_…what makes us – _tick_…"

I felt a jab of un-ease in my stomach and gave a side wades look to Leo who's eyes were hardening. Looks like he was getting the same sense I was.

"…Your brothers got a very wide mouth hasn't he?" Leather-creep said, conversationally.

The red mist descended and propelling myself forward I punched Leathercreep in the mouth causing blood to sprout from his snout. He shook it off, let out a roar and flung himself at me. I dodged to the side – hearing a bone in my right arm snap as I did so – and as I did that two things happened: One - Mikey leapt on LC's back and chocked him using his nun chucks [useful things - nun chucks] Two – at exactly the same time Leo darted forward and stabbed his sword straight through Leatherhead's chest, who let out an animalistic roar as Leo's sword went through his skin as easily as if it was butter before lashing out, whacking Fearless to the ground with one massive swipe of his left hand and Leo_ went_ down but by then the damage was done and Leather-creep staggered, his hands went up to his throat to try and prise Mikey's nun chucks from round his neck and he sank to his knees while his face changed to a darker shade of green.

Well. I wasn't going to let my brothers have all the fun so I shot forward and stabbed him in his stomach. He gurgled, his eyes rolled backwards and blood started coming up though his snout. I let out a grunt of satisfaction as pulled my beloved sai out from LC's guts, wincing slightly as I saw the state it was in. I'd have to clean that later…

Then I heard. "I think he's had it, Mikey." From behind me as Leo stood up, dusting himself off like being hit by a ten-ton alligator was nothing but a minor inconvenience.

"I wanna make sure." Mikey said, tightening his grip.

I looked at Leatherheads bulging, blood-shot, definitely-dead eyes and said. "I think he's dead, Mikey. Don't you think he's dead, Leo?"

Leo cocked his head to one side and said. "I think he's dead, Raph."

I nodded and turned back to Mikey. "We think he's dead. Now leave him here and let's get back before Splinter comes up here and kills _us_."

So it was with great reluctance that Mikey removed his nun chucks from Leather-creeps neck and we headed homewards.

On the way Mikey said, worriedly. "I hope Donnie's alright."

"He probably is." Leo said, although not entirely confidently. "I mean, Leatherhead probably wasn't being serious when he was saying all that stuff. He was probably trying to scare us-"

"-Oh, fuck off Leo!" I snapped at the same time Mikey went.

"You heard him, Leo! 'He's got a wide mouth', he wouldn't say that if…" Mikey trailed off, unable to go on.

We walked the rest of the way home in silence.


	12. Whatever happened to Donatello?

**Hey! I'm back, - updating earlier than I thought I would – first off, thanks for reviewing to Silver Sentinel, Datninjaturtle, Glazier Blue [You'll see, is all I can say to all your questions].**

**Now…I had two guest reviews both from 'guest', so I'm gonna assume you're both individuals and answer you separately…**

**Guest – What happened to Donnie will be revealed in this chapter. **

**Guest – Don't worry, I'll finish this…eventually. It may be a little difficult at times and there may be a couple of days here and there where I don't update, but I'll try and tell you guys in the previous chapter. Glad you like the plot though, that's always good. :-]**

**See chapter 1 for the disclaimer and let's crack on. **

It seemed darker than usual as I waited in the sewers I had learned to call home. Maybe that was because it was the middle of winter and evening time. Maybe it was a reflection of my own thoughts. After all, it's hardly pleasant having one of your sons kidnapped, especially, it may seem, by a trusted family-friend.

As I waited around the corner from Leatherhead's lair, doing my best not to breath lest I be heard, I could hear my other sons voices coming towards me.

"I'm not sure I'm going to able to control myself." I heard my youngest say, forlornly.

"At least _try_, Michelangelo." Leonardo said, in response.

"But he -!"

" – I _know_." Leonardo said, more firmly. "I know. Now…put your over-acting ability to good use…"

I stifled a laugh as I heard them knocking on Leatherhead's door. Over-acting ability indeed…if Michelangelo were a human, he, for sure, would be involved in the world of the theatre somehow. Maybe set design?

I held my breath again as I heard the door open and Leatherhead's calm deep voice ask my sons, pleasantly, if there was any news. I frowned slightly, I know Leonardo had showed me the camera footage, but Leatherhead seemed far to calm for my liking. What if we had made a mistake? Was it possible we had made a mistake? And if we HAD made a mistake then there was one simple question that needed answering…Where the 'shell' [as my sons like to say] is Donatello?

All these thoughts were racing through my head as I heard the three of them disappear of to the rooftops where Raphael would be waiting for them. Hopefully there was an innocent explanation, I thought, as I poked my snout round the corner to check they had gone.

'I do hope my sons won't do anything irrational' I muttered to myself as I darted to the big metal door that signified the entrance to Leatherhead's place. I don't think I'd ever been here before.

I reached inside my robe and pulled out the skeleton key that my middle-youngest son had somehow managed to make over the years. He did try to explain it to me once, but I regret to say it was far to complex an explanation for me to follow.

After a bit of twisting and turning the lock to the lair gave and, with a pounding heart and a deep-sense of unease, I slipped quietly into the room.

Goodness knows what I was so nervous about, it wasn't like I hadn't done this before. But, then again, there's something different about infiltrating a friend like Leatherhead's residence than, say, Saki's residence. Although It would help if he didn't keep moving his headquarters every three months…

As soon as I got inside I realised something was off. One of the good things about being a rat is that I have always had very good senses, smell in particular. And I could smell blood. Fairly recent blood as well.

I don't mind admitting, my heart sank there and then, because let's be honest the smell of blood is never a good thing, is it?

So it was with a heavy heart I followed the smell into another room where I saw a sight that definitely makes the 'top ten horrifying things I've ever seen' list.

My son – my middle-youngest – Donatello, one of the most – No. _THE_ most intelligent, kindest person I have ever known in my life, was _chained up_ on a bed [a _queen-sized_ bed as well, how the shell had Leatherhead managed to get that down here I will never know.] He had a weird red thing in his mouth and even from this distance I could see he had a good couple of bruises over his body.

Fighting down a deep fury within me, I took out my phone and sent Leonardo a quick text which said:

'Found Donatello. He is at Leatherhead's. If Leatherhead tell you he is not here DO NOT BELIEVE HIM. Please all of you come home safely and do not take unnecessary risks. Splinter.'

After sending said text I took a breath, steadied myself, and walked over to examine him closer. I tried to put aside the fact I'm his father and just focus on him like a patient. He was asleep and breathing deeply, which was quite reassuring. Even so I rested my hand on his carapace – this was mainly to reassure myself so I was very worried when his reaction was to kind of flinch a little and move his body a bit as if trying to throw me off.

I immediately removed my hand and he seemed to calm down. Looking at him I tried to figure out where to start – conscious off the fact Leatherhead could come back at any minute – so I started by undoing the shackles round his wrist, noticing as I did so that the skin was bruised and slightly blistering which indicated that he had been pulling at them – hopefully to try and escape and not for…any other reason.

After I took the left chain off he moved again and seemed to start to wake up. Seeing this I spoke gently to him. "Donatello? My son?"

He opened one eye and, although he was technically looking at me his eye showed no focus in it. I might as well had not been there. He closed it again and drew in a shuddering gasp.

I patted his carapace hoping to convey some reassurance and he once again filched and let out a high-pitched whine that startled me because, frankly, that is not a sound I have EVER heard my son make in his life. And I've raised them all since they were babies.

So, once again taking my hand of his carapace, I moved onto the shackles round his ankles and quickly undid those and that was even worse because he clearly didn't like me touching his leg and when I took the left one off he gave a sudden violent little kick that got me straight in the arm causing me to give a yell of pain and jump backwards.

"Donatello, my son." I said, in as paternal a voice as I could manage. "This is Splinter your father and I am _trying_ to help you. I need to get you out of these chains so I can take you back home, now…I'm going to move across to your other leg and undo that chain so you will feel hands on your leg, but it is _only me_, okay?"

He didn't respond but I think I must have got through to him because he didn't kick out again.

Then I had to take that thing out from his mouth. If only because it was tied round his head and I needed to see if he had any damage to the back of his head, which I suspected he would because it's the only explanation as to why he was so out of it.

Sure enough when I gently lifted his head up to take the thing off I saw not one, but two massive very dark bruises on the back of his head, which even I knew meant he had been hit over the head very hard with something. Actually…as I looked closer I recognised that one of the bruises had actually been caused by his own bo-staff.

I quickly glanced round the room but I couldn't see said bo-staff anywhere and quickly dismissed it from my mind. I could send Leonardo or Raphael back to look for it later for now I needed to get him home…

So I took the thing out his mouth, god knows what it was some kind of ball with a weird piece of Velcro at the back of it. I threw it on the floor in disgust, took out my phone and sent Leonardo another text which said.

'Leonardo. I need you and R to come to Leatherhead's place to help me with Donatello. Tell M to prepare a hot bath for him and for them both to not be shocked when they see him. He is in a bad way but still alive. Come quickly. Splinter.'

I put my phone away and re-focused on Donatello, checking him over again. It was then that I noticed the gashes on the inside of his leg. Goodness knows how I had missed them the first time, but I had. I examined them as closely as I could without touching him and realised they had been stitched up.

I gave my son a confused look – not that he could see it – wondering how exactly he had managed to sew them up while tied up, because the only other explanation was that Leatherhead had done it and that didn't make any sense – in my experience the main reason why people make deep gashes of this kind is so that either – the victim can bleed out, _slowly_ of course, but they don't sew them back up again, they just wait for them to die. No, it didn't make sense…

Neither did the marks on the back of his head. Actually no…it did. He had been knocked unconscious with his own bo-staff. Which then begged the question…

Where was it?

Telling Donatello I would be back soon I went on a little bo-hunt and found it by the door broken in two pieces, which enraged me, not only because of the_ blatant_ dis-respect it showed but because do you know how _hard_ it is to find bo-staffs in New York?

I'm going to have to rob another martial arts centre, aren't I?

It was while I was thinking this that Leonardo and Raphael knocked on the door and I let them in, with a grave. "My sons."

"How is he?" Raphael – never one for niceties – asked.

I took a deep breath. "Not good. You'll see."

There was a beat, then Leonardo said. "Is that…" He looked at me doubtfully and I briefly wondered what he was talking about until he pointed at the remains of the bo in my hands and I handed one half of it to him.

"Bastard!" Raphael burst out in temper, turning round and kicking the wall for added emphasis.

Normally I would be chastising him for his unnecessary language, but considering the circumstances I was completely prepared to let it slide. However…

"My sons." I said sharply. "I understand your feelings, but this is not the time. Leatherhead could come back at any moment- what?" I said, seeing them both give each other a sidewades look. "What have you done? Leonardo?"

He let out a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of his head. "Well…you see sensai…we might have, kinda…killed…him?"

I blinked. Then took a breath and blinked again. "…You did what?"

"We killed him." Raphael said, bluntly, arms folded defiantly.

"To be fair, Sensai." Leonardo said, hastily. "He was completely asking for it. I mean, wait till you _hear_ what he _said_-"

"-I have no desire to." I said, cutting him off. "What I would like is for you two to help me lift Donatello to the lair. I warn you though, he seems very resistant to touch, so we'll have to be careful." I turned and led them to Donatello, ignoring Raphael's snide.

"I love the 'we.'" As they followed me.

Once inside though they both stopped dead and just stared at their brother like they had never seen him before.

"…Can I go back and kill him again?" Raphael asked.

"You'd have to get in line." Leonardo said, voice filled with utter disgust.

I glared at them both and instructed. "Leonardo you take his legs and Raphael, you take his arms and make sure you support his head. He's got a couple of bumps at the back of his head so be careful."

It took a couple of attempts – mainly because Donatello kept making those whining noises whenever he was touched - but eventually they managed to pick him up and carry him out the door and through the sewers, Leonardo spending the whole entire time going.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-" The entire time. It grated.

Eventually it was Raphael who snapped. "Leo are you stuck on repeat or something!? Put a sock in it before I stick my sai down your throat!"

Leo glared and went to retort, but I shot them both a glare and they went quiet.

Eventually we got him home and as soon as we stepped thought the door Michelangelo appeared out of nowhere, with. "I've run the bath. Do you – fucking hell!"

"MICHAELANGELO!" I bellowed as Leonardo and Raphael placed Donatello gently on the coach.

Raphael let out a snort and even Leo let out a short laugh before choking it down.

My youngest sons eyes went wide and he held his hands up. "Sorry sensai – it slipped out. I've run a bath for him, do you…need any help getting him into it?"

I considered. "Yes, that would be good. Thank you for offering, but I think I'll ask Leonardo – by the way, my son, what did you do with the body?"

He blinked. "The…body?"

There was a silence and I fixed him with my best 'father' look. "Yes, Leonardo. You told me you killed Leatherhead, what did you do with the body?"

He drew a deep breath and looked at the floor. "I…think we…left it there?"

Another beat and I said, steely. "You're telling me you have left a mutant alligator on top of a building for the world to see? Please tell me this is a mis-judged attempt to lighten the mood?"

Still nothing. I sighed.

"Right. Well. I _suggest_ Leonardo, that you and Raphael go _back_ to the building and dispose of the body in whatever way you see fit."

Raphael raised a hand and when I nodded at him, he said. "Er…any limitations on that, Sensei?"

"Absolutely none. Dismember him and throw him in the trash for all I care. Just get rid of hi – no. Get rid of _IT_."

They nodded at me and made a hasty exit.

I massaged my temple, then looked up and, seeing Michelangelo differing near the couch, shooting anxious looks at his immediate older brother, said: "Yes, Michelangelo, we'll start. You take the arms and support the head and I'll take the legs…"

**So yes. That's it for now. I think I mentioned a few chapters ago I'm thinking of changing the title of this thing to 'Two sides of the same coin' which I think I will change it for next chapter. I don't want to ruin the story, but hopefully it will make sense as we go on. Thank you to everyone who's still here, considering I wrote it just to challenge myself and wasn't really expecting it to go anywhere [but I won't lie, I was hoping it would, like I do with all my stories] it's done well, so, yeah, thank you all. **


	13. The Brothers Part 4

**Hey! I'm back. I hope you all had a good holiday! OMG, this is the probably gonna be the last chapter for the year! What a shame. Never mind – I'll see you next year. Hopefully. Fingers crossed.**

**Side note - You may have noticed I finally got round to changing the title from 'The Logistics of Kidnapping the Perfect Partner' to 'Two Sides of the Same Coin'. I hope the reason why will make sense soon.**

**Thank you to Datninjaturtle, Silver Sentinel + Glazier Blue for reviewing the last chapter.**

**See chapter one for the disclaimer and let's crack on. **

"Okay, am I the only one who's surprised Splinter didn't go bat-shit crazy?" I asked as myself and Leonardo jumped swiftly between buildings. "I mean we have just announced we killed Leatherhead. And normally Splinter doesn't go in for that kind of stuff. Disarm first, kill as a last resort?" Leo didn't say anything just kept on jumping. I clicked my tongue. "Hello? Splinter Junior? Are you deaf or what?"

"I'm _not _deaf." Leonardo said, in a voice that was _much_ to level considering the circumstances we were in. "I'm simply thinking. You might want to try it sometime."

So, ignoring the dig, I said. "Thinking about what?"

Leo – who was mid-jump when I asked him – skidded to a halt on the next building, spun round and shot me a truly EPIC death-glare. The kind I see April giving Casey sometimes. Maybe she's been giving him lessons?

ANYWAY, he looked at me like I was a massive idiot and said. "Gee, Raphie, take a guess-"

"-No I get it. It's been stressful, I was just…" I shrugged. "…Talking. I guess."

There was a beat then Leo frowned. "Well don't. We can talk when we get home. For now we need to find…_**it**_."

Don't ever say I can't take a hint. Or rather a straight out order, [albeit disguised]. So I shut up and we got to the building in one piece, ready to take Leather-Creep to the nearest dustbin, river, pig farm [You can thank Donnie for that tip. pigs eat anything, apparently. I forget the technical term. Omi-something.]

However, there was one MAJOR problem with this seemingly simple plan. When we got to the building the body wasn't there. Let me just repeat that…

THE BODY WASN'T THERE!

What the_ fuck's _going on!? How the ever-lasting SHELL can a ten-foot alligator just…disappear!?

"I don't know." Leonardo said, rubbing his ear from where I had just shouted into it.

I started to pace up and down. " I mean, this takes the _absolute_ biscuit doesn't it!? What the –_ how _does a ten-foot alligator just _disappear_!?"

Leo licked his lips and said, clearly without thinking. "Maybe a bird or something…?"

There was a beat. A long one. Then I turned to him and said. "…You think a bird carried off a ten-foot alligator? What kind of bird are we talking here!? Because if it's not a pterodactyl –"

He held a hand up and snapped. "-Alright! It was a shit suggestion okay!? What do you think happened?"

I blinked – reeling from the fact that this is about the…5th time in my life Leo has apologised to me? "…I think." I said slowly. "That someone _found_ him and has taken him somewhere. It's the only explanation, isn't it? Unless he wasn't _actually _dead and just got up and walked off – but I think that's unlikely considering, you know…I stabbed him in the chest. Multiple times."

Leo took a deep breath, massaged his fore-head – clearly he was getting one of his headaches again – and said, tiredly. "We're just going to have to go back and tell them. I mean, you're right, either a human found him and took him somewhere in which case we'll either hear about it on the news OR someone _else_ found him in which case…" He shrugged. "Well. We'll hear about it in another way."

I nodded and we took a moment to just take a breather and chill for a minute. Cos we both knew that when we got back shit was gonna hit the fan.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile in a secluded house on the outskirts of New York, Baxter Stockman looked at the…thing in front of him

"…What _is_ it?" He asked eventually.

Bishop looked at him and said, dryly. "I believe it is either an alligator or a crocodile."

"I know that!" Baxter snapped. "I meant what is it doing _here_!? Where did you find it?"

"On the rooftops of Block 34, Avenue street. It appears to be badly injured."

Baxter fixed Bishop a hard glare and said, dryly. "A rooftop? Seems an odd choice for an evening stroll…"

Bishop frowned. "I got word that an unidentified body, alien in form, was on top of a building. Naturally I had to dispose of it before any passers-by found it. When I examined it I found some interesting things about the wounds, like this one in the creature's abdomen…" Bishop ran a finger round the wound with ease. "It looks like a Sai mark, no? And this one here-" He moved his hand to the creatures chest. "It looks like a Katana. And the marks round his neck-"

"Nunchucks." Baxter said, beginning to connect the dots. "That means only one thing, it's got to be the turtles."

"But if it's the turtles then there's one missing. Where's the bo-staff?"

To Baxter said, slightly ashamedly. "…Erm, if I recall from the, many…many…many fight the Foot Ninjas had with them in the past, I believe the Purple one is the one who wields the bo-staff-"

"-Donatello, I believe his name is-"

"-And Donatello, is something of a _pacifist."_ The scientist said, sneering the word. "That might explain the lack of wounds."

"Maybe…or maybe it's something_ better_. After all, we haven't seen the turtles in a while. He might be dead. This thing might have killed him! After all it is big enough…" As he was saying the words a plan formed in Bishops brain so blindingly obvious he wondered why he'd never thought of it before…

**First of all –hear me out. I know this may seem mental and I've probably gone completely from canon, but the fact is I have done my best to – without watching the entire 2003 series – to figure out the antagonists relationships with each other. It seems Bishop and Stockman get on relatively well, is that about right? **

**So yeah, you might want to consider this slightly AU. See you all again next year probably.**

**Bye!**


	14. The Brothers Part 5

**Hey! I'm back. Happy 2020 everyone! Hopefully you will have both a good year and a good decade. Thank you to AndiKaneUnderwood, Glazier Blue, GUEST01 + Datninjaturtle for reviewing the last chapter. **

**So. Last time we saw them Leo and Raph had discovered that Leatherhead had somehow disappeared, and were taking a bit of a breather before they went back to the lair. However they couldn't put it off forever…**

**See chapter one for the disclaimer and let's crack on.**

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE BODY'S DISSAPERARED!?" Splinter bellowed from the middle of the living room.

Mikey – who was listening outside the door – took his ear away from said door and massaged it a little. For a little rat Splinter sure could make a lot of noise…

As he heard Leo fruitlessly try to explain what had happened Mikey backed away from the door and turned to Donatello - who was fast asleep on the bed him and Splinter had managed to get him into – and sighed. "I wish you were awake. It's no fun just annoying Leo and Raphie." Mikey gave a sudden laugh as a memory struck him. "Oh Donnie! Donnie-!" He threw himself on the floor next to his brother and, rocking back and forth slightly, said, excitedly. "Do you, do you remember when we were about, what? 5? 6? Something like that, and we were sick of Leo and Raphie – more specifically Leo – bossing us around and pulling the 'I'm older than you' card, and so we cooked up a plan where I pretended I couldn't see them, but could hear them, and then you come and you did the same and they thought I was winding them up but then – then – _you_ came in and you pretended you couldn't see them as well and _that_ sold it to them! And they really thought they were invisible up until Raphie tried to pull Splinters tail cos he thought Splinter couldn't see him, but-" Mikey burst out in peals of laughter that lasted for about ten seconds. When he finally calmed down a little he spluttered. "-He could! A-and Raphie was grounded for like ever! Ah…" He sighed and leaned against the bed. "Good times, huh Donnie?"

Mikey waited a few seconds but nothing came and with another sigh he got up and looked at his immediate older brother. "Nothing? I mean, don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting you to be leaping round the place but…" He trailed off and shook his head. "What am I saying? You've been through a lot." His eyes flicked to the raw scars decorating the inside of his brother's thigh and he repeated. "A lot."

There was a melancholy silence during which Mikey drummed his fingers against the wall and strained himself to listen to the hum of voices coming from the living room.

"-Well I _suggest_ you try and_ find_ the body at least-" Splinter was saying, clearly coming to the end of a long rant. "The fact it doesn't seem to be on the news is quite concerning."

"But, Sensei." Leo said – pretty bravely considering the mood Sensei seemed to be in – "If the body was only found, say, ten minutes after we left, which it must have been about that because we only left it about half an hour – then it won't be on the news till later at least. That is if they put it on there at all-"

"What exactly are you trying to say, Leonardo?" Splinter said, clearly in no mood for games.

"I'm trying to say it might be difficult to _find_ the body. For one thing we don't have the faintest idea where to start-"

Just then Mikey became aware of a groaning sound behind him and said, vaguely. "One moment Don…Donnie!?" He whipped round, a smile breaking over his face. "Donnie, you're awake!"

Donnie was indeed awake. He wasn't moving much but Mikey could see he had one eye open and was blearily opening the other one.

Approaching his brother like one might an injured deer Mikey whispered. "Donnie? Donnie, how do you feel?"

Another pause and then a low groan from his brother in purple.

Mikey shrugged. "That answers that then. Do you want some water?"

Another groan. Mikey paused, looked around the room as if hoping someone would magically appear to help him, then turned back to Donnie and asked. "Is that a yes or a no? Donnie?" He gently rested a hand on Donnie's arm.

The effect was immediate. Donnie froze. Completely. Did not move a muscle. Mikey frowned and quickly moved his hand. "…Strange." He muttered a uneasy feeling growing deep in his stomach. He watched intently and it took a while but eventually Donnie seemed to relax somewhat, although Mikey wasn't completely convinced until he saw his chest rising and falling.

Letting out a breath he didn't even know he was holding Mikey stepped backwards, not taking his eyes of his brother then entire time. The result was he collided with the door. After opening it he backed out the room slowly…slowly…slowly…

"What are you doing?"

Mikey let out a scream and whipped round to be faced with Raphael. "Oh, Raphie it's you. Forgive me. At first glance I thought it was Shrek." He blinked and – making an exaggerated look of peering closer – said. "And on second glance as well. And third. And fourth…"

"Michelangelo…" Splinter said warningly.

Next to Splinter Leonardo sniggered, while the brother in red glared and said, dangerously. "Well, that would make you Donkey, wouldn't it? Now ge' out the way. Splinter wants to bring Donnie some water."

Mikey nodded and stepped aside. "Sure thing. Oh! Before you go in…" And quickly told them what had just happened.

After he finished Splinter nodded and said, slowly. "…I must admit, my son, as callous as it may seem, I am not surprised. Donatello, we are fairly sure although, admittedly not one-hundred-present certain, has been sextually abused therefore his reaction is perfectly understandable. He probably think it's going to happen again, although of course-" He added quickly, seeing Mikey's hurt expression. "-There is absolutely no question of that happening here, it will be getting him to see that that is the issue. Now…I think it'll be best if we don't all go traipsing in. Leonardo, you come with me. Michelangelo see if you can make up something for him to eat, he must be hungry. Raphael-" Splinter paused, then said, slowly. "Go and search the rooftops again. See if there's any 'clues' as to what happened to, IT. Leonardo, follow me." And with Raph and Mikey heading off on their individual tasks Leo and Splinter headed into Donnie's room.

"My son." Splinter said, gently, approaching the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Donnie – who had both eyes open and was watching them guardedly – didn't answer verbally but gave his father a look.

Splinter shrugged. "Well. It was something of a silly question…my son, I have brought you some water." He held the glass out, "I would like you to drink it please."

Donnie's eyes went wide and he raised his arm – the whole limb shaking with the effort – and shook his head.

Splinter perched on the end of the bed, while Leonardo – feeling beyond useless – watched from the door.

"Donatello." Splinter said, with a level of warmth that Leo was fairly certain he had used with any of them since they had become teenagers. "I can not begin to imagine what you are feeling, but I am certain you must be feeling terrible." His eyes looked over the multiple bruises on his sons body and then dipped to the scars on the inside of his thigh.

Donatello, seeing this, scrunched his beak up and closed his legs as much as was turtelly possible.

Splinter blinked and reassumed his attention to his middle-youngest. "Anyway. I must insist you take at least a little sip of this." He held the glass out and Donatello in turn shrank back as though the glass would bite him.

Seeing this Leonardo frowned and stepped closer. "You don't want it, Don?"

A fierce shake of the head.

Leonardo looked side wards at Splinter who in turn looked bemused.

"…Why not?" Leonardo asked eventually. "It's water. It's healthy. Taste better than pop."

Donatello – still glaring at the glass like it had personally offended him – mumbled. "Not thirsty. Leatherhead gave me some."

Splinter and Leonardo looked at each other again, conversing silently.

After this brief conversation Splinter nodded reluctantly and handed the glass to his oldest son. "Very well then." He said, while his eldest looked round for somewhere to put it. "Will you at least try and eat some of whatever Michelangelo is making? I'm sure it's delicious."

Donnie squirmed slightly and said, tiredly. "Daddy-" Splinter's eyes nearly popped out his head. Donatello hadn't called him 'Daddy' since he was about five. "I'm tired. I want to go to sleep."

Splinter frowned slightly and said, while going to pat his sons knee. "My son-" Seeing the alarmed look he got in response he stopped himself before smoothly carrying on with: "What is the last thing you remember?"

The young genius thought the question over for a few minutes, then – just as his father and brother were getting really worried – said. "Dunno…did…did someone hit me?" As he said that he brought his hand up to the back of his head and ran it over the lump that had formed there.

"That's right, my son." Splinter said, eagerly. "Now, can you remember who?"

Donatello screwed his face up and thought hard while Splinter and Leo waited with bated breath.

"…Foot?"

Both father and son let out a dejected sigh, although both registered that at least Donatello remembered the foot and therefore hadn't completely lost his memory.

Picking up on the mood, Donnie looked between his two family members in confusion. "No? Not…not the foot?"

Splinter sighed again and went to pat his sons arm, but stopped himself sharply. "No my son." He said, putting as much warmth as he could into it to compensate for the lack of touch. "Not the foot. Now…can you try and stay awake for me? I want you to at least try and eat some of what Michelangelo will be making for you."

A beat, then a simple. "I'm not hungry."

"I know but-"

"Here we go!" With a small bang the door swung open and Mikey paraded into the room carrying a tray with some soup and some bread on it in the same manner that someone might of they were carrying gold. "Soup and bread! Bon appetite."

"I'm not hungry." Donatello said again, rubbing his eye tiredly.

With a smile fixed on his face Mikey sat next to Leo and held a spoon with some soup in it out to Donnie. "Come on Donnie." He said, smile never faltering. "You like soup. It's the one thing I can get you to consistently eat. C'mon have a bite."

The second-youngest opened his mouth – presumably to tell them he wasn't hungry again – when hi stomach rumbled and he carefully put an arm over his stomach.

While Splinter and Leo shared there third knowing glance, Mikey gave a little laugh and said, cheerily. "Well! I believe the stomach has spoken! Now, how about a spoonful?"

It took a little more coaxing but eventually Donnie started eating and soon had managed to finish the whole thing.

Mikey grinned and shot him a thumbs up before taking the stuff away.

Donnie looked at his father with unfocused eyes and said, yawning. "Sleep now?"

Splinter nodded and smiled softly. "Sleep now. Leonardo will stay with you won't you my son?"

Leonardo nodded. "Of course. No one will get you when I'm around Donnie." He assured, although Donnie, having already fell asleep didn't hear the last part.

So, leaving Leo to it, Splinter headed out to where Michelangelo was washing up. "Congratulations on getting him to eat, my son."

"Nah problemo sensai." Mikey said, with forced cheeriness.

Splinter leaned against the worktop and said, thoughtfully. "I wish I knew why he was averse to drinking water."

"Water?" Mikey parroted. "What's wrong with water? Everyone needs water. You die without it."

"Hhmm. And Donatello won't drink it. Worse – he said…that thing, had him drink some. I wonder what that means."

Mikey finished drying up then said. "Maybe it means exactly what he said. Leather-creep gave him water to drink. It seems logical to me. He wouldn't want Don dying on him would he? Not while he was-"

"-Michelangelo!"

"Sorry sensei." There was a subdued silence, then Mikey said. "Oh…by the way, did he say anything about his thigh? You know – the scars? I would have thought they would have been painful. They sure look it."

"…No, he didn't. Pain, Michelangelo, as I'm sure that you are aware is a funny thing. How many times have you had serious injuries by the foot and felt fine until a few hours after? Maybe that's what's happening here."

"…But sensei, its's been a couple of hours. Like, what? Five hours? _Surely_ the pain-"

"Will come." Splinters sighed deeply." It will come."


	15. The Mystery Deepens

**Hey, I'm back. Thank you to GUEST01, Glazier Blue, Datninjaturtle + AndiKaneUnderwood for reviewing the last chapter. Sorry for the short delay, but I've recently started some new hours in my job and am busy with those. This may mean I might not be updating for a little bit as well.**

**Anyway. Back to the story. See chapter one for the disclaimer and let's go. **

"Donatello." Leatherheads voice came whispering to him though the darkness. "Don-a-tel-lo…"

A knot of fear appeared in Donatello's stomach as he quickly opened his eyes. There was no way this was possible, he told himself logically. He was just at home with Splinter and his brothers. Mikey had just given him soup. There was no way…

A hand lay heavy on his carapace and Donnie – by this point frantic with fear – looked up to see Leatherhead – who seemed to have somehow grown in size since he last saw him – standing above him and smiling a wide smile that displayed all his many teeth.

Leatherhead looked down at him, opened his mouth and began talking, although the strange thing was Donnie couldn't actually hear him. Not over the blood rushing around inside his cranium.

"LISTEN TO ME!" Leatherhead suddenly bellowed and the young turtle gasped as pain shot up through his knee, excruciating pain that was so great that surely the knee must be being dislocated. It was the only explanation. The only explanation…

"Donnie!" Leo's voice came from nowhere, and Donnie instantly started looking for him.

"What do you think you're doing!?"claws dug into his face as Leatherhead grabbed it and pulled the young turtle up towards him, coldly ignoring his yells as he did so.

"Donatello! Can you hear me?" Leonardo sounded strangely calm. Unnaturally calm considering the circumstances…

"You are never getting out of here." Leatherhead said, looking Donnie straight in the eyes. "You are mine, Donatello. Got that? You. Are. Mine-"

Another spasm of pain went up his leg and Donnie _screeched_ as his leg felt like it was setting on fire.

"DONATELLO, WAKE UP!"

In Donnie's room Leo was shaking his brother as hard as he dared, trying to drown out the harsh whimpers and occasionally shouts of pain that were emitting from his brother's mouth.

"Donatello! Can you hear me?" Leo asked, trying his best to keep calm. The last thing Donnie needed was someone panicking.

In response Donatello gave an ear-splitting shriek and Leo – making an executive decision to sod being calm – yelled back. "DONATELLO, WAKE UP!"

With yet another screech Donatello woke up, sitting up with such force he headbutted Leo in the snout causing him to fall backwards onto the floor in the process.

The commotion brought Splinter, Mikey and Raph – who had clearly re-appeared at some point - barrelling into the room.

Splinter immediately went over to Donatello to try and calm him down via speaking soothingly to him, Raph following him.

Mikey – feeling it would be a good idea not to over-crowd Donnie, headed over to Leo and, helping him up, muttered. "Are you alright, bro?"

Leo, one arm slung round Mikey and the other one clutching the back of his head, muttered back. "Just great, Mike…"

The youngest turtle cast an eye over to Donnie and – seeing he was beginning to calm down a little – said. "Let's head to the infirmary shall we, dear brother? After all, one injured turtle is enough…" Mikey kept talking all the way to said infirmary and, after getting his oldest brother sat down and comfortable, dabbed cotton wool at the back of his head all while still talking. "Yeah, so I think Donnie will be fine really." He was saying now. "Given a bit of time and help. Of course it's more helpful now we know for sure Leatherhead is dead-"

"Raphie found the body then?" Leo asked.

Mikey's eyes sparkled as he clicked his fingers and pointed them at his oldest brother with a smirk. "I'll tell him you called him Raphie-"

"-Don't you dare." Leo warned. "It just slipped out-"

"- You haven't called him that since you were, like, 10-"

"-And I never will again! It just slipped out. Now, can we focus on the main issue? Did Raph find Leathercreep or not?"

In response Mikey made a high-pitched sound and waved his hand around to indicate a fifty-fifty.

Leo frowned. "What do you mean, fifty-fifty? He either found him or he didn't, there's no in-between."

"Weeeeeeeeell." Mikey began. "He didn't find the body _exactly_ but he _did _find a blood-trail leading to the edge of a building, so he _thinks _Leatherhead fell of the edge of the building."

"So, he found the body at the bottom of the building then?"

Mikey paused. "…He didn't say."

"Oh for-!" Leo stood up sharply and immediately wished he hadn't as the room spun. Steadying himself on the wall he hissed. "If Splinter doesn't need him imminently can you ask him to get his shell here _now_, please?"

Mikey saluted and skidded to Donnie's room. Knocking on the door he waited until it was flung open by Raphael.

"Whaddya want Mikey?" His red-banded brother growled. "It might have escaped your limited brain cells but we are in the middle of something here-"

Orange held his hands up and gabbled. "Not me – Leo. He wants a word with you. Or a status report rather. On Leatherhead."

Raph blinked. Then - muttering un-complimentary things about the young leader under his breath – he stalked off, leaving Mikey to poke his head round the door and ask if there was anything he could do.

"No thank you, Michelangelo." Splinter said, without facing him. "I think we have it under control. I would however like some pain relief, if you could be so kind as to get some from the infirmary?"

Mikey craned his neck and saw Donnie, who did look calmer than he had five minutes ago, but was also looking around the room like he was expecting something to come out the walls and attack him. Or someone rather, Mikey thought, as he nodded understandingly and shut the door.

"Is it possible to kill someone twice?" Mikey wondered before heading to the infirmary.

As he got closer he could hear raised voices that indicated his two oldest brothers were going at it again. Mikey sighed as he heard Leonardo yelling.

"All I'm trying to say, Raphael - if you'll listen to me - is I can't believe you didn't _check_ the _bottom_ of the _building_-"

"Leo, for the_ thousandth_ time, I'm _telling _you I didn't need to!"

"Raphael-"

"No you listen to me, lame-a-nardo! I didn't _need to_ because the _marks _indicated that Leatherhead didn't just _get up_ and _walk off_ the building!"

A beat. "How _did_ he get of it then?" Leo asked, sounding just as confused as Mikey felt.

Another beat. Then. "He was dragged."


	16. The Mystery Deepens Part 2

**Hey! I'm back. Thank you to Datninjaturtle, Silver Sentinal + GlazierBlue for reviewing the last chapter. **

**See chapter 1 for the disclaimer and let's crack on. **

There was a beat. Then Leo said – just a touch to loudly. "What do you mean he was dragged!?"

Raph eyes flared and, balling his fists, he snapped. "What do you think I mean!? I mean someone picked him up and dragged him to the edge of the freakin' building!"

"But how did they get him off the building?"

"I DON'T KN-!"

"-Hovercraft." Mikey said, as he pushed the door open.

His two oldest brothers stopped dead and both snapped their heads towards him. "What?" They said, simultaneously.

Mikey shut the door, saying as he did so. "Well, it stands to reason doesn't it? If you're gonna drag a massive alligator, crocodile whatever off a building you're gonna need something to put him in and a – okay maybe not a hovercraft unless you get the Helicarrier, but an aeroplane or something similar would do the trick just as well. The main question is – which one of our many, many enemies A} has access to an aeroplane and B} would benefit from taking Leather-Creep? What?" He asked, seeing the dumbfounded look on his brothers faces.

There was a beat, then Raph said. "You scare me sometimes, Mike."

The youngest brother gave them a beam and a thumbs up.

Leo rubbed his temple and said, tiredly. "Is there anything in particular we can do for you, Mike? Or have you come in_ just_ to annoy us?"

"Erm…" Mikey's mind went blank and he racked his mind for the reason he was in here. Then, with a snap of his fingers he remember and declared triumphantly. "Pain relief! I need pain relief! Or rather–" He added, seeing the look of alarm on Leo's face. "-Donnie needs pain relief-"

"-JUST!" Leo burst out, then seeing the look on Mikey's face he lowered his voice and said, through gritted teeth. "Get. Some. Then."

The youngest wasted no time in grabbing some pain relief and fleeing the infirmary. As he hurried down towards Don's room he heard Raph say. "You know, I hate ta a'mit it, but he has a point. Which one of our enemies has access ta something tha' _flies_?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So . What do you think?" Bishop asked, indicating the machine in front of him.

Stockman cast his eyes up and down it before walking round the machine to examine it further. It was big, about the length of two adult males lying head-to-toe with each other. It resembled a MRI scan machine actually, except that Bishop had attached something to the middle of it so that what it actually resembled was the machine that Frankenstein used to bring his monster alive.

He ran a hand down the side of it, impressed despite himself. However, not wanting to give Bishop the pleasure, he said, in a vague tone of voice. "It's alright, I guess. What does it do?"

Bishop's jaw tightened and he said, steely. "It more than alright. It's cutting-edge new technology. I call it – The Reviver. You put someone or something who's dead in the middle of it-" He indicated the middle of the machine. "You power it up by pressing this red-button here here, energy generates between these two points here-" He indicated the antenna attached to the top of it. "After about five minutes it powers up, zaps the thing in the heart and it should bring it back to life. Now, do you understand or would you like me to dumb it down more?"

Stockman glared and asked. "So it brings the creature back to life does it?"

Bishop nodded.

"Hhmm. And how exactly do we make sure it does our bidding? There's a difference between simply bringing something to life and bringing it to life AND having full control over it."

Bishop's jaw tightened and his fists balled while Stockman smirked at him smugly. Damnit. That was one aspect he over-looked. "We'll invent something." He said, through tightly clenched teeth. "Something that'll allow us to control it. Then we can send it to the turtles lair and it'll kill them. Simple. And then we're one step closer to world domination."

"We'll have to get rid of the Shredder first." Stockman pointed out.

Bishop waved a hand airily. "Details, details. That'll come later. For now – the _turtles_."


	17. Screams in the Night

**Hey! I'm back, sorry about the wait. First of all -thank you top everyone who's reviewed, favourited and followed so far – we've cracked 50 reviews! Yay! Considering when I put this on it was just to see if I could write such a story, it's brilliant.**

**So yeah, thank you to Glazier Blue, Datninjaturtle, GUEST01, Silver Sentinel + Curious Heather fpr reviewing the last chapter and let's crack on.**

**Warning: A lot of swearing [sorry, it's written from The Angry One's perspective] **

**See chapter one for the disclaimer and let's crack on. **

Have you ever been woken up at 3am by the sounds of screams? The gut-wrenching, high-pitched, raw, animal-sounding sound of screams? Well, that was me this morning.

So I leapt out of bed – promptly tripped over my own Sai's – and, swearing all the while, ran to Donnie's room.

Obviously, it was Donatello. Of course, it was Donatello. A week and a half after the 'incident' as it will forever be known and he's _still_ having nightmares. We're meant to be taking night-shifts to look after him, and tonight is Mikey's turn – fills you with confidence I know, when your younger brothers reaction to asking if he'll _definitely_ be alright to watch Donnie throughout the night is 'Don't worry dude, we'll be cool. Now, you go have a good nights sleep…'

Don't worry? Like I've done anything else since we rescued the genius. Although to be fair, I've been nowhere near as bad as Leonardo. Oh _god_, Leonardo. I swear hands down if he could get his hands on electric fencing and barricade us all in, he would. As it is, he's been patrolling up and down the sewers making sure that Leather-creep isn't prowling round the place. Cos we haven't heard anything about that either. And April has assured us it's definitely the kind of thing the news would mention.

I mean, that sounds good, doesn't it? He hasn't been found, he's off our radar, we can get on with our lives.

No.

Because in our line of work enemies aren't dead until you _see_ the body. And even then, it's debatable. Take Baxter Stockman for instance. We must have killed him at least five times by now, but he _still_ keeps coming back. I swear that guys part cat or something. Although we haven't seen him for a while so…

Anyway, back to Donnie. So I ran into his room and Mikey was sitting next to Donnie talking soothingly to him, clearly resisting the urge to massage his shell like Splinter used to do when we were little.

I blinked, took this in then said, with, I don't mind admitting, a good degree of scepticism. [See I can use fancy words as well, Donnie.] "Everything a'ight, Mike?"

He hummed his reply and said, in a really nice soothing tone – you know like one of those yoga teachers? – "Yeah, we're good, we're cool, aren't we Donnie? _Totally_ cool, we're just getting our breathing under control, aren't we D?"

I mean, I have to give full respect here. A lot of the time I think Mikey is a bit of an idiot – mostly because he _acts_ like a bit of an idiot [who _else_ would nearly set the microwave on fire because he didn't realise you have to _pierce_ the protective foil before you put the thing in the microwave?] but he was dealing with a really stressful situation here and dealing with it well.

So basically, I had nothing to say except. "Can ah do anything?"

"Could get him a drink. Just not water."

Ah yes. Water. I don't know why but Donnie refuses to drink it. Which is ridiculous because – as anyone with half a braincell will tell you – ya need it to survive. And, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we were humans, we could just walk down the shops and get some other stuff, but we're talking turtles, we don't have access to that kinda shit. So when I got down the kitchen and discovered we literally had _nothing else_ except water…

Well. I was screwed. So I got some water and brought it back to the room.

"Dude, what the shell…?" Was Mikey's opening gambit.

I shot him my best 'don't mess with me' and said. "We have nothing else. It's water or nothing."

Mikey bit his lip and looked sideways at Donnie. "…You alright with it, D?"

I don't think 'D' was alright with it, given the way he was looking at the glass like it had done something to personally offend him, but I persisted and said, gently. "C'mon Don. It's_ just_ water, it can't hurt you, can it? I mean, logically an' everything?'

He still looked suspicious and shook his head.

Mikey looked at me and shrugged, which made my blood boil because it would be nice if, _for once_, it wasn't just me against the world, but I kept a lid on it and said, through gritted teeth. "Donatello, you've got to drink something, you're _gonna_ get de-hydrated and _then_ you're gonna collapse and then this _whole thing_ is gonna be a _thousand_ times worse than it already is! Now, I'll ask you one more time, _are you gonna drink or not_!?"

"Raph…" Mikey said - and the tone of his voice should have really let me know I was veering towards dangerous territory - but I wasn't really listening because I was looking at Donnie, hoping against hope that some of my ranting had got through to that so-called genius mind of his –

And he shook his head. Again.

Something inside me snapped and - and I think I can safely add this to the Top-Ten-Of-The-Most-Stupidest-Things-I've-Ever-Done list - I can't really remember exactly what I was saying – which is scary because that doesn't usually happen without me drinking at least one bottle of alcohol – but all I know is that Mikey was yelling at me to stop yelling at Donnie, Donnie was crying [again] and the next thing I knew my arm was grabbed and I was yanked out the room by a _very-pissed-off_ Leonardo Di-Annoyingo.

"What the _shell_ is wrong with you!?" He hissed in my ear as he shoved me into the dojo.

Oh if looks could kill…

"What's _wrong _with me!? What's wrong with _me_!?"

"Keep your voice down!"

"No, I fucking well will not, oh Mr High-And-Mighty! What's _wrong with me_ – are you _fucking _kidding me!? What's wrong with _me_-" I ranted as I aimed a punch at his eye, which he expertly dodged. "-Is that my brother – my _younger brother_ –" A kick this time, also dodged. "Is lying in bed, to terrified to drink a glass of bloody water! I mean, what does he _think_-" I threw my fist out again, Leo lunged to one side, my fist sank into the punching bag I hadn't even registered was there at the time and I kept hitting and hitting it while ranting about how _un-describingly_ frustrating it was to have your brother – your younger brother – be terrified of things you can't get your head around and for you not be able to do about it except try to help and for that to blow up in your face spectacularly because nothing – _nothing!_ – you do ever, _ever_ goes right! Ever! I mean, why the fuck do I even bother, huh? Why, Leonardo!?" By this point I was screaming at him. "Why!?"

There was a beat, then Leonardo said, slowly. "You bother…because you care. That's why you get so annoyed about stuff, because you have so much stuff in here-" Leo put his hand over his heart – yes seriously – and carried on with. "That, for some reason, you think you can't express it and the only way you _can _express it is by getting angry. And I don't know why that is, and you don't have to tell me, but…I think that's what it is. And I just want you to know that…in regards to Donnie…I get that you feel like screaming and breaking stuff, I do to – _I do_." He said, firmly in response to me scoffing. "There are times that, when he's refusing drink and sometimes food and…flinching when we move an arm or a hand towards his that I want to shake him and say 'we are not going to hurt you, why can't you understand that!?' but…" He sighed. "I can't. Because I know – just like you know deep-down – that that is not going to work." And deep sigh. "I know it sucks tail, but we're just going to have to take it slowly. He'll get better. He will. Eventually."

I gave him a look. "You know that do you? What are you psychic now?"

I was goading him, but – being Leonardo – he resisted the bait, just saying, calmly. "Of course not. But I trust in both Donnie's ability to get better – he's a strong turtle – and our ability to help him-"

"-Oh yeah. Some ability to help him I showed in there. He ain't gonna want to come near me again-"

Leo clicked his tongue. "Well yes, that was a very stupid move, Raphie, as you well know, but you know not to do it again and if you feel yourself getting that angry again, you just leave. Remove yourself from the situation."

"Which self-help book did ya get that from?" I said.

He laughed. "I don't know." He admitted.

There was a beat, then he said. "You know, I could spar with you if you wanted? If you still need to work of some of that anger?"

I considered and shook my head. "I think I'm alright. Thanks Leo."

He nodded and backed towards the door. "Well, in that case I better go see if Mike's alright. Erm…" He looked at the clock in the dojo which read nearly 4AM and said. "…I think we'll call off training. Resume it tomorrow."

I nodded. "Right."

He nodded again and left the room. I sighed and grabbed a mediation mat. When in Rome and all that…


	18. Trial and Error Part 1

**Hey! I'm back, sorry again for the delay. Works been crazy. So first up – thank you to Datninjaturtle, AndiKaneUnderwood, GlazierBlue, Curious Heather + Silver Sentinal for reviewing the last chapter.**

**Silver Sentinal – you will just have to wait and see. The answer to your question will hopefully be revealed within the next few chapters.**

**So. Now we go back to Bishop and Stockman who, the last time we saw them, were plotting world domination. However, there's just a few snags they need to iron out first…**

**See chapter one for the disclaimer and let's crack on. **

"STOCKMAN!" The bellow from the lab next door made said Stockman stop dead in his tracks. Which was rather unfortunate as he was carrying about twenty pieces of various mechanical items that wobbled precariously when he stopped. Terrified, he looked up at the pile and let out a sigh of relief when they finally stopped wobbling.

"STOCKMAN!" This time the bellow was accompanied by a slam of Stockman's lab-door as it crashed open. The pile wobbled again, gave up the fight and tumbled to the floor, practically breaking the mad scientist's big toe as it did so.

"I've come up with the solution to our problem!" Bishop declared, seemingly not noticing his fellow scientist jumping round the room clutching his foot in agony.

"Oh yes?" Stockman said, snarkily, collapsing into a nearby chair. "Pray tell."

"I've invented this." Bishop said, holding out what looked like a helmet with two metal sticks thrust through the top of it. "What do you think?"

The younger man started at it in disbelief then held out his hands for a closer look.

Bishop grinned and handed it over, while explaining precisely what it did. "We put it on the animal and then it uses the creature's own brainwaves – limited though they may be – to power it. We then use the machine I've got in the next room to talk to it and the idea is that the creature will do exactly what we tell it to do."

"The idea?" Baxter said, pouncing on the sign of weakness. "You've not actually tested this? Amateur."

Bishop's brow furrowed as he said through gritted teeth. "I thought you may want to come and witness it. Though if you're going to be a _child _about it-"

"-No, no. I'll come. I can't _wait_ to see this."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"…So what decade did you nick this from again? 1910's was it?"

Bishop shot his smaller companion a glare and said, through gritted teeth. "Stockman, you are testing my patience…"

Realising the warning, Stockman wiped the smug smirk off his face and said, meekly. "I apologise. Now, how does it work?"

"First, we need a un-willing volunteer. Which thankfully, I have. HENCHMEN!" Bishop bellowed suddenly. "BRING IN THE CREATURE!"

Massaging his ear, Stockman said. "I though you hadn't tested it yet?"

Not even bothering to dignify that with an answer Bishop simply indocated the henchman that was walking in through the door holding some sort of lead.

"What the…" Stockman whispered.

Because attached to the other end of the lead was an crocodile. Or an alligator. Stockman had never claimed himself to be an expert with reptiles.

"Behold!" Bishop said, with a grin boarding on insane. "The test-subject!"

"That's an alligator!"

"Crocodile, actually. But whatever. Allow me to demonstrate. Johnson, if you would be so kind…"

'Johnson' with the quickness of Usain Bolt straddled the alligator and wrestled an elastic band onto its snout while it bucked below him and tried to throw him off.

When the agent had manged that he looked at Bishop, who handed him the helmet, with a warning of 'Be careful with it.'; and proceeded to attach the helmet to the alligators head.

"…How is that possible?" Stockman asked the ceiling.

"I'm a U.S Government Official. I defy impossible. Now…" With a swirl of his coat he marched over to the machine in the corner and flicked it on. It came to life with a flash of light and the sound of an angry bee-hive. "Prepare to be amazed!" He shouted over the din. Although its fair to say Stockman didn't hear the last bit because he was watching the crocodile who had gone from looking at them all like it wanted to murder them to standing completely still and looking straight ahead. All it needed was a dunce hat and the effect would be complete.

After a couple of minutes however nothing much more had happened and Stockman, risking his life in the process, called over to Bishop. "Are you sure that thing is on properly?"

"OF COURSE IT'S ON PROPERLY! CAN YOU NOT _HEAR_ THE NOISE!? It just…takes a while."

Stockman nodded and looked back to the crocodile. Still nothing. After about another five minutes Bishop ran a hand through his hair and said. "I think I'm going to get a coffee while we're waiting. Do you want one?"

"No! I'm in the middle of scientific genius here!" a beat, then. "Although if you're going that way-"

He never got to complete the rest of the sentence, because there was a horrible burning smell, followed by an explosion of smoke and what can only be described as a scream by the poor crocodile as it thrashed around the small lab for a few seconds then simply collapsed.

It was safe to say there was quite a long pause after this but after about 5 minutes Stockman risked incurring Bishop's wrath as he asked. "…Was that meant to happen?"

"Of course it wasn't!" Bishop snapped, poking his head up above the machine. "It was supposed to do our bidding not give us a free barbecue!"

"I don't know what went wrong…" Bishop moaned as he strode over to the poor animal lying on the ground. "It seemed to be working earlier."

"I thought you said you hadn't tested it?"

"I haven't tested it on a living thing. I switched it on to make sure the connection between the helmet and the stabiliser – that being the machine over there – worked. And it did."

Stockman hummed a bit as he examined the helmet. "My guess would be there's to much energy going into it." He said, after a few minutes. "You need to reduce the amount of energy – which means you need to make that contraption over there –" He pointed to the wall. "Smaller. Then it should work."

Bishop's eyes narrowed. "And how exactly am I meant to do that? My area of speciality is genetics, not mechanics."

Stockman gave him as much as a smile as he dared and said. "Well, lucky for you I'm quite well versed in machines. I can have this done by the end of the month. The turtles won't know what hit them."

Another long pause. The Bishop nodded and said slowly. "Well then. I'll leave it in your hands…Doctor Stockman."

**Hey. Again. I know I don't usually do writing at the end as well as the beginning, but I just wanted to say** **when I was writing this chapter I wanted it to be a little lighter than the others, because let's face it when you get two ego's like Bishop's and Stockman's in a room together I thought…it's not really going to go exactly smoothly is it? Also when people invent things, how often does it go exactly to plan straight away? However I do realise I may have made Bishop at least OOC, if not both of them.**

**Anyway, see you next time, it won't be until March now, I think. **


	19. 5 Weeks Time

**Hey! I'm back, and I hope you're all well. Especially in light of, you know, everything. **

**Anyway, let's not dwell on that. So, with no further ado, see chapter 1 for the disclaimer and let's crack on. **

I think it's safe to say Donnie is getting _somewhat_ better. The screams have gotten less for one thing. The main issue we're having with him – apart from the fact he still doesn't like physical contact – is the whole not-drinking-water thing. The good news is we've got April and Casey to bring us down pop and squash and stuff like that, the bad news is we're no nearer discovering why he won't go near it.

"He's saying his leg hurts again."

And the medication thing. There's that as well.

I grunted and punched my punching bag for the twenty-fifth time that morning. "Well give him some medication then, it ain't rocket science."

"We're down to the last couple." Leo said, flatly, from behind me.

I paused while the impact of this sentence sank in and then let out a stream of swear words while hitting the punching bag with considerably more force.

"So we need to go out and get some more." Leo said, raising his voice considerably.

"Oh brilliant!" I huffed as my knuckled began to get numb. "Shall we give them cash or cheque? I know how about we write them an I.O.U?"

"Raphael…"

After one final swing at the punching bag I whipped round to face my elder brother. "Well what do you suggest then, Lame-anardo? A weekly pay back scheme?"

Leo clicked his tongue, folded his arms and said. "Well, we're going to have to steal it, aren't we?"

I grinned. "Ah, ever the noble one arn't you, Leonardo-"

"-Shut up, Raph! This is serious. We can last a few more days, but then…"

Honestly you could practically see the raincloud over his head.

Thankfully Leo couldn't carry on being a ray of positivity because Mikey chose that moment to skid into the dojo with: "Well, I've got either good news or bad news."

"Don't tell me – Stockman's come back from the dead." I said. Then after thinking about what he said, added. "What do you mean EITHER good news or bad news?"

"No." Mikey said. "So, the good news – depending on which way you look at it – is that I've found out why Donnie doesn't like water any more."

There was a beat while he looked at us and he looked at him. After a few seconds Leo went.

"Which is WHAT Mikey?"

"Apparently it tastes like salt."

Another beat.

"Like what-!"

"Salt, Raphie, like salt."

Leo massaged his forehead, clearly getting another one of his headaches, and said, tiredly. "Since when does water taste like salt?"

"Don't look at me, I'm just the messenger." Mikey said, a touch irritably.

Leo shook his head. "It's got to be something to do with Leather-creep." He said.

I looked at him. "Well done Sherlock Holmes. Do you want a medal?"

Leo flipped me off and then just as smoothly said. "We're going to have to find out what really happened there."

"…Where?" Mikey asked.

Leo jerked his thumb towards the door. "Down Leatherhead's. Clearly there's more going on with this than we first thought."

Mikey scrunched his beak up. "I'm not going. One of us has got to stay with Don haven't we?"

I just want to take this moment to say that Don does not need a full-time carer. Although he's a long way off full recovery as I mentioned he's getting better. And even if he did need a carer Splinters here, but I do get why Mike's not keen on the idea on frolicking round LC's torture chamber so I'm prepared to accept his bullshit excuse for now.

Leo was as well evidently, because he just nodded and said that was fine. So, long story short, it looks like tomorrow myself and Leo are trotting down to Leathercreeps hell-hole to see if we can get to the bottom of WHY Donnie thinks the water tastes like salt. For obvious reasons he's not coming with us.

I tell you what life really is sunshine and roses isn't it? Someone should make a TV show of our life – I'm sure it'd be a hit.


End file.
